Geneva: The World Wide Web marked its 20th anniversary on Friday, with inventor Tim Berners-Lee taking part in commemorations at the CERN laboratory.
The British software genius came up with the idea of the internet exactly 20 years ago from today.
With the help of other scientists at CERN, Berners-Lee set up the system to allow thousands of scientists around the world to stay in touch.
In March 13, 1989, the young Berners-Lee handed his supervisor in Geneva a document entitled 'Information Management: a proposal".
The supervisor described it as "vague, but exciting" and later gave it the go ahead, according to CERN.
"It was really in the air, something that had to happen sooner or later," said former CERN systems engineer Caillau, who teamed up with Berners-Lee.
They drew up the global hypertext language and came up with the first web browser in October 1990.
"Everything that people talk about today, blogs and so on, that's what we were doing in 1990," Caillau said.
The internet was made available for wider use from 1991. Caillau never imagined that search engines would take on the importance they have assumed today.
"A search engine is very centralised...while the web is totally decentralised, I couldn't have predicted the things that it does," he said.
Do you think you can live without the internet? How has this technology affected you life?
Your comments
I started using Internet in 1997 and ever since it has become part of my social life.
Mohammad Asim
Ajman,UAE
Posted: March 14, 2009, 12:28
The internet has changed the lives of many. It has become the fastest means of acquiring information. Also it is the best tool for keeping in touch with our friends and relatives. Emails have helped in improving relationships. I use the internet on a daily basis and it is difficult to imagine life without internet. Work gets done much faster and is easier. Definitely the internet is a boon and has facilitated in the progress of the entire world.
Naina Nair
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: March 14, 2009, 09:12
Now it's almost impossible to avoid internet in my life. To connect people and getting all the information in a single touch .....
Sudheesh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: March 14, 2009, 08:42
Now a days it is essential to have an internet connection. Without it, life gets paralysed. We can get everything a person would want. We can see daily and updated breaking news from anywhere in the world with a click of the mouse on the internet.
Rajamallu R. B.
Karimnagar,India
Posted: March 14, 2009, 07:59
