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Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
Tim Berners-Lee's plan to 'save the web' has been formally launched today and is backed by more than 150 organizations, including Facebook, Google, and Microsoft.
The inventor of the World Wide Web explained back in March his reasons for wanting a 'contract for the web'...
It's 30 years today since Tim Berners-Lee submitted a proposal for what would become the World Wide Web [and] said that the 30th anniversary was a time to reflect on both the positives and negatives [...]
"I think it's been a force for good for the first 15 [years], and right now it's really in the balance. I'm very concerned about nastiness and misinformation spreading. I think with a mid-course correction, the 'contract for the web' is about: let's all stop this downward plunge to a dysfunctional future."
Source: https://9to5mac.com/2019/11/25/save-the-web/
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 26 2019, @09:32AM (1 child)
I once had immense respect for Sir Tim. The reason is obvious, he played a key role in inventing the web as we know it today. And he has been quick to mention that he could have patented the underlying technologies, but chose to keep everything free for the sake of progress. I'm not entirely sure I believe this anymore.
This idea starts with the premise that politicians, corporations, media, and other players have effectively destroyed communication on the internet today. Who wouldn't agree? He then jumps from there to, "So let's let them come up with lots of new rules for the internet using some completely meaningful and vague premise as the foundation!" Erm? It's pretty obvious who those rules will benefit. He's effectively asking the wolves, still actively devouring hens, to guard the chicken coop. It's no wonder they're lining up far and wide. The issue is I'm certain he also realizes this.
So what's up? The only thing I can see is a money grab. I'm certain participating corporations will pay a small annual fee for participation and maintenance of the "contract for the web." He gives them good PR, they pretend to care, nothing changes - except Sir Tim probably gets a much fatter bank account. In my now aged and probably somewhat more realistic view, I don't think Sir Tim had any clue where the internet would end up. And now he sees a world where there are countless mega billionaires created entirely on the technology he helped to develop, mostly by defecating on society. And he's gotten pretty much nothing in exchange for his role, and feels he deserves his 15 minutes and 5 dollars.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 26 2019, @09:50AM
If he patented it, it would have died in obscurity.
The man either became senile and delusional, or is trying to milk his fame for a few bucks. Pretty sad, really.