The Web Time Forgot
The internet in 1934?
"In 1934, Otlet sketched out plans for a global network of computers (or “electric telescopes,” as he called them) that would allow people to search and browse through millions of interlinked documents, images, audio and video files. He described how people would use the devices to send messages to one another, share files and even congregate in online social networks. He called the whole thing a “réseau,” which might be translated as “network” — or arguably, “web.”
What I find interesting about this article is that we forgot about this person. His revolutionary ideas fell to the wayside in a volatile society that was at war and not yet ready for his concepts. It makes me think about other great ideas that may have been lost and never found again. There are a few ideas and objects that were seemingly lost forever - the Earth being round and how large it is, the Rosetta Stone, Japanese sword making techniques, and who knows what that was dreamed up by Leonardo da Vinci.
One of the thing that sets human beings apart from our competitors on this planet was that our ancestors collected and passed down significant knowledge to us. This collection of knowledge over time builds up and we no longer have to rediscover our reality every few generations.
What else is out there?
"In 1934, Otlet sketched out plans for a global network of computers (or “electric telescopes,” as he called them) that would allow people to search and browse through millions of interlinked documents, images, audio and video files. He described how people would use the devices to send messages to one another, share files and even congregate in online social networks. He called the whole thing a “réseau,” which might be translated as “network” — or arguably, “web.”
What I find interesting about this article is that we forgot about this person. His revolutionary ideas fell to the wayside in a volatile society that was at war and not yet ready for his concepts. It makes me think about other great ideas that may have been lost and never found again. There are a few ideas and objects that were seemingly lost forever - the Earth being round and how large it is, the Rosetta Stone, Japanese sword making techniques, and who knows what that was dreamed up by Leonardo da Vinci.
One of the thing that sets human beings apart from our competitors on this planet was that our ancestors collected and passed down significant knowledge to us. This collection of knowledge over time builds up and we no longer have to rediscover our reality every few generations.
What else is out there?
Labels: acusticthoughts, history, the intarnet thing
posted by AcusticThoughts at
02:45
0 Comments
