week 2 ~ What is the internet?

Who would have thought that the internet started way back in 1957? And, of course, all because the USA didn't want to lose the technology race !!!! (why is everything always a competition? hmmmm)

I cannot imagine what the first few networks looked like. A machine that took up half a room? The mind boggles in this day and age, where you can carry a mobile computer (namely a netbook) under your arm. And now networks are everywhere!!!! You can go have a Big Mac (oops, can I say that seeing that it's a trademark?) and still send emails or surf the web :s

Is it getting a bit ridiculous seeing as the internet was brought about 'primarily for universities to more effectively share computing resources'? Should the average person just log on at home and/or work? Why do we feel the need to constantly stay in touch with what is happening in the rest of the worlds miserable life, seeing as our own can be miserable enough?

Of course, the original idea is still there, that of bringing active participants together in an ongoing process. And there is born Web 2.0 with sites such as facebook, twitter, youtube, etc.

Although I didn't learn anything new this week, I still found the lecture extremely interesting, and am finding the interaction of all the students amazing. This is the internet how it should be :)



quote I got from week 2 lecture by Tama Leaver, but can't remember where he said it was from. sorry :)