#distributed web

Imagine meeting Otzi the Iceman, a mummy of a man who died in the Alps over 5300 years ago.  Imagine having to explain how to operate a computer, smartphone or even the  New internet to him.

Let’s begin by agreeing that from all the animal species that have perfected a system of communication, humans are the only species capable of the spoken language.  It is essential to communicate effectively for a variety of reasons.  Not only does communication serve to inform, motivate, establish authority, control and allow for emotive expression, it is vital for creating a sense of social structure.

Otzi’s life was simply one of actions and not of data browsing.  The moment he heard a growl near him he knew he had to react fast as it was critical to survival New and this was engrained into is brain.  Today however, since the day of the New Internet, we are being overwhelmed by data all around us. Communication have evolved from the primitive cave paintings of ages ago into the technology we know today.

Now we can argue that the first computer was the abacus, or maybe its descendent, invented by William Oughtred in 1622, but the first computer resembling today’s modern machines was a device called the Analytical Engine, designed by Charles Babbage between 1833 and 1871.

On January 1, 1983 a company called ARPNET adopted TCP/IP.  From here researchers began to assemble the “network of networks” that eventually became the New Internet.  It was only in 1990 when the computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web that the online world took on its recognizable form.

Just as Otzi the Iceman’s evolution, even the internet evolved from U.S to global, research to commerce and safe to scary.  With artificial intelligence, virtual reality and cryptocurrency being in the headlines for a long time and resulting in the attraction of an enormous amount of attention, it is safe to assume that the next big evolution of the new internet might just be the decentralized web.

Currently all our data is in the hands and control of a small number of huge, centralized, tech corporations like Google, Amazon, Microsoft etc. This leaves us at the mercy of increased surveillance, censorship and hackers.  With this said, the internet has given us instant access to information, helping us do our shopping and even to stay in touch with family and friends from across the world.  Imagine what Otzi the Iceman could have done with the New Internet at his fingertips.

The concept of a decentralized internet revolves around the use of protocols, applications and technologies. This makes the internet essentially more open and accessible to its users.   Even though we are still a long way off from complete decentralization, there has been significant rise in companies dedicating their time, money and resources to create decentralized alternatives for popular centralized products.