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Happy Birthday to the www

By Jim Lee, REALTOR, CRS, ABR

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Shoreline New Hampshire & Maine

August 09, 2007 08:56 AM

Did you know that August 7th was the 16th birthday of the World Wide Web (www)?

That's right, on August 7th, 1991, Sir Tim Berners-Lee sent the first message across the www/

Here's a portion of that message.

"The WWW project merges the techniques of information retrieval and hypertext to
make an easy but powerful global information system.

The project started with the philosophy that much academic information should
be freely available to anyone. It aims to allow information sharing within
internationally dispersed teams, and the dissemination of information by
support groups."

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, father of the www

While working at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, Doctor Lee saw an opportunity to marry the then cumbersome Internet to TCP and DNS ideas and in his words: "ta-da! - the World Wide Web."

Doctor Lee makes it sound much simplier that it actually is and we've certainly came a long, long way since that historic August 7th.

Happy Birthday to the www.

BTW, the www and the Internet, while very closely intertwined, are two separate things; here's the difference.

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Fred Pickard

Fred Pickard Innovations Realty Inc - Hershey, PA

Hershey, PA

I thought Jim Lee invented the www and then licensed it someone with a computer.

Aug 09, 2007 04:38 AM

Jim Lee, REALTOR, CRS, ABR

RE/MAX Shoreline - Portsmouth, NH

Buying or Selling? Ann & Jim are the local experts

No, cousin Tim invented the www Fred. I remember hearing him talk about it at family reunions; everyone said he was crazy. ;-)

Lots of people don't realize it but the Internet and the www are two separate things although they are closely related. I wrote a blog about it last year

An internet of any sort is simply 2 or more computers that can communicate. The www is a common languate (HTML) that makes communicating via the Internet easier.

Just as all poodles are dogs but not all dogs are poodles, there are internet systems that operate without the www but the www needs the Internet to function.

Aug 09, 2007 05:34 AM

Jim & Maria Hart

Brand Name Real Estate - Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC Real Estate

Very interesting. Who knew 16 years ago how much of an effect his creation would have on just about everyone and every profession?

Aug 09, 2007 05:41 AM

Randy L. Prothero

eXp Realty - Hollister, MO

Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645

I am so shocked, you mean Al Gore actually didn't invent it? What next?

Aug 09, 2007 08:43 AM

Joe Sampson

Exit Realty Experts - Saint Augustine, FL

Look how far it's come in only 16 years...makes you wonder what the next life changing development could be. What will we not be able to live without in 20 years that we don't have today?

Aug 09, 2007 09:09 AM

Maureen McCabe

HER Realtors - Columbus, OH

Columbus Ohio Real Estate

That is a nice explaination of the difference between the WWW and the internet! Your comment here anyway. I know there is a difference. I remember using "the internet" before the WWW (barely....) I remember being cofused about the hoopla about how the WWW was going to change our lives. I remember thinking it would not effect me much. I still thought it was just for scientists and geeks and could not be mainstream.

I will go read your blog about it.

Aug 09, 2007 09:10 AM

Anonymous

Janis and Marty Gagliardi

Happy Birthday WWW!!!! What would we do without you!!! As soon as I read your blog I too thought of Al Gore.... He seems to invent alot of things!!LOL

Thank you for remembering this occasion. We as Realtors should thank Sir Tim Berners-Lee every day for making our lives fruitful and easier!! I'll have to tell my husband, Marty, that he shares a birthday with the founder of the WWW!

Aug 09, 2007 09:17 AM

Ann Cummings

RE/MAX Shoreline - NH and Maine - Portsmouth, NH

Portsmouth NH Real Estate Preferrable Agent

Hi Jim - I guess I didn't realize the internet and the www weren't one and the same. Thanks for that explanation, and I'll check out your blog you referenced.

So, your 'cousin' did the inventing, huh???? ;-))

Ann

Aug 09, 2007 09:29 AM

Debra Gould

Staging Diva / Six Elements Inc. - Toronto, ON

The Staging Diva

My favorite Tim Berners Lee quote is:

"The world is full of moments when one might have been other things."

Makes you wonder where we'd all be without his invention!

debra

Aug 09, 2007 09:36 AM

Wayne McMullan

Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty - Belleville, ON

Quinte Real Estate

Jim, I wonder if Dr. Lee is happy with the results or whether he even realized how big it would become.

Aug 09, 2007 09:36 AM

LaShon James-Major

The Document Diva - Long Beach, CA

Long Beach Mobile Notary - 562.314.4319

I hope he's filthy rich! His invention has forever changed how we do things. Just from one invention...

Aug 09, 2007 09:47 AM

Jim Lee, REALTOR, CRS, ABR

RE/MAX Shoreline - Portsmouth, NH

Buying or Selling? Ann & Jim are the local experts

Tim is on my father's side of the family. He's cousin Conway and Mary's boy. ;-)

Wayne, I think Dr. Lee is probably flabbergasted at what his invention has became.

I think most all our lives have been touched by the www in one way or another and for good or bad.

For me it's been almost 100% good; the only annoyance I complain about is spam.

Aug 09, 2007 09:50 AM

Monika McGillicuddy

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Hampstead, NH

Southern NH & the Seacoast Area

I did not know that! Imagine what he must of felt when he sent the message.

Aug 09, 2007 01:14 PM

Joan Whitebook

BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH

Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

I love having access to all of the information! The problem is finding time to get some sleep!

Aug 09, 2007 02:09 PM

Anonymous

Bettina Kooijman ~ Ferguson Realtors ~ Knoxville, TN

As one that is showing my age, I remember pre-computer. Can't think of being without it now. www or Internet, it is all wonder-rific to me. Thanks for the history lesson, we all need to be reminded of the special people in our world who have made a difference. A big thank you is in order to Dr./Sir Tim Berners-Lee for changing how we do business as REALTORS, can't image running around now with a large, out-of-date book of listings like in the "good old days".

Aug 09, 2007 03:13 PM

#17

Ryan Morgan REALTOR®

Barnhart Associates Real Estate - Eugene, OR

I remember hearing about it from my barber in 1992. I thought he was nuts when he told me about one of his clients who had a 'secret password' that let him on this world wide computer network. Then in 1995 as a college student, I had a great thought about creating domain names for current products, and selling them back to the brands. Unfortunately, I then opened a can of beer, and forgot all about it. Doh!

Aug 09, 2007 03:58 PM

Robert Hammerstein -

Christie's International Real Estate - Hillsdale, NJ

Bergen County NJ Real Estate

Very interesting little bit of info. Thanks for sharing this with us! Thank goodness for Sir Tim!

Aug 10, 2007 02:49 AM

Todd Clark - Retired

eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR

Principle Broker Oregon

OK - I had no idea. I just called my brother-in-law who is 18 to tell him this and he thought the www had been around since the 60's. I remember when I first got the internet in 1993, it was a real big deal! AOL was all the rage and e-mailing family was so inexpensive.

Aug 10, 2007 05:10 PM

Tracy Santrock

Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Wow! It sure has changed everyone's life in such a short time.

Aug 26, 2007 01:19 AM

Marchel Peterson

Results Realty - Spring, TX

Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

I knew it wasn't Al Gore so I am glad to find out the true mystery surrounding the world wide web. Thanks for sharing it!

Sep 15, 2007 10:09 AM