The Web Was Done by Amateurs A Reflection on One of the Largest Coll
This book stems from the desire to systematize and put down on paper essential historical facts about the Web, a system that has undoubtedly changed our lives in just a few decades. But how did it manage to become such a central pillar of modern society,
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The Web Was Done by Amateurs A Reflection on One of the Largest Collective Systems Ever Engineered
The Web Was Done by Amateurs
Marco Aiello
The Web Was Done by Amateurs A Reflection on One of the Largest Collective Systems Ever Engineered
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Marco Aiello
ISBN 978-3-319-90007-0 ISBN 978-3-319-90008-7 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90008-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018939304 © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer International Publishing AG part of Springer Nature. The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface
The field of computer science is so young that sometimes we think of it as history-less, as a set of cutting-edge technologies without a past. This is a crucial mistake. The field might be relatively young, especially when compared with other traditional exact sciences, such as mathematics and physics, but it has a very dense history. A fitting comparison is the life expectancy of a dog vs. that of a human: a year in computer science is equivalent to seven years in other scientific fields. On the one hand, such speed of innovation is exciting and one of computer science’s characterizing features; on the other hand, it too often prevents us from reflecting on the history, and consequently we reinvent the wheel. In my 20 years as a lecturer of computer science, I have noticed that students are often incredibly skilled in the latest technologies but are not able to place them into their historical and societal context. Something like the Web is taken for granted. Occasionally, a student will place the Web’s birth in the 1950s. The problem becomes even more evident when they start designing a system for their final
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