The Web Was Done by Amateurs

Abstract

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, such an indispensable component of our economic and social interactionse How did it evolve from its roots to todaye Which competitors, if any, did it have to beat oute Who are the heroes behind its successe These are the sort of questions that the book addresses. Divided into four parts, it follows and critically reflects on the Webees historical path. eePart I: The Originsee covers the prehistory of the Web. It examines the technology that predated the Web and fostered its birth. In turn, eePart II: The Webee describes the original Web proposal as defined in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee and the most relevant technologies associated with it. eePart III: The Patchesee combines a historical reconstruction of the Webees evolution with a more critical analysis of its original definition and the necessary changes made to the initial design. In closing, eePart IV: System Engineeringee approaches the Web as an engineered infrastructure and reflects on its technical and societal success. The book is unique in its approach, combining historical facts with the technological evolution of the Web. It was written with a technologically engaged and knowledge-thirsty readership in mind, ranging from curious daily Web users to undergraduate computer science and engineering students. ;