The
Internet began with the Creation of the ARPANET in 1969. The ideas
that spawned its creation were dreamed up years before by men like
Vannevar Bush and J.C.R.
Licklider.Throughout the 1980s the Internet really took off,
but mostly at universities and research institutions. Thanks to Tim
Berners-Lee's creation, The WWW, the Internet became widely popular
and now sometimes seems almost ubiquitous. Below are links to a few
audio clips of Vint Cerf, senior vice president
of Internet Architecture and Technology for MCI WorldCom; and Phil
Barrett, Vice President of Technology for RealNetworks. They discuss
their views of the future of the Internet.
Both
of these men are in good positions to muse about the future of the
Internet. Cerf has been involved since the beginning and now works
at one of the main companies involved in providing the backbone of
the Internet. Barrett worked at Microsoft managing development teams
before signing on at ReaNetworks, the company that pioneered streaming
audio and video for the Internet. As available bandwidth increases,
many believe that streaming multimedia will come to dominate the Internet
and that means that RealNetworks, already a major player in the industry,
will likely become even more important.
Note from the author: Various audio clips appear
here and throughout of Vint Cerf. The interview was conducted on March
1, 2000, at the Access facility of the National Science Foundation
in Washington, D.C. Expenses were provided by the Park Foundation.
The two audio clips of Phil Barrett are taken from
an interview conducted on March 31, 2000, at RealNetworks in Seattle,
Washington. Expenses were provided by the Park Foundation.
Vint
Cerf discusses exciting new technologies.
Vint
Cerf is asked what the average Internet experience will be like in
2010.
Phil
Barrett discusses the future. Pt.1
Phil
Barrett discusses the future. Pt. 2

Home|
Vannevar Bush | J.C.R.
Licklider | Larry Roberts | Paul
Baran |
Bob Metcalfe |
Doug Engelbart | Vint Cerf | Ted
Nelson | Tim Berners-Lee |
Marc Andreesen | Epilogue |
References |