The internet has revolutionized the way people communicate, work, and access information. Basically, it has influenced almost everything in this world.
It has become an integral part of modern life, but did anyone predict its emergence?
The idea of a global network of interconnected computers was once considered science fiction, but it has now become a reality.
And so – this article explores the question of whether anyone predicted the internet and how it came to be.
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The real origins of the internet can be traced back to the 1960s, when the U.S. Department of Defense developed a communication system called ARPANET.
The goal was to create a network that would allow researchers and scientists to share information and collaborate on projects.
Over time, ARPANET evolved into the internet we know today, but it was not a direct result of any one person’s prediction or vision.
Rather, it was the product of collective efforts by numerous individuals and organizations over several decades.
Nonetheless, there were some early theories and theorists.
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Early Internet Concepts and Theorists
Vannevar Bush and Memex
In 1945, Vannevar Bush, an American engineer and inventor, published an article in The Atlantic Monthly titled “As We May Think.”
In this article, he proposed a new device called the Memex, which he envisioned as a personal library that would allow individuals to store, retrieve, and share information. The Memex was essentially a desk with a microfilm reader and a system of buttons and levers that would allow the user to create and follow associative trails of information.
Bush’s ideas were ahead of their time, and the technology to build the Memex did not exist at the time.
However, his vision of a personal information system could not be directly linked with the prediction of the internet and the World Wide Web.
Recommendation: If you're interested in biography of this fascinating man, we'd recommend reading following book: "Endless Frontier: Vannevar Bush, Engineer of the American Century."
J.C.R. Licklider and the Galactic Network
In the 1960s, J.C.R. Licklider, an American computer scientist, proposed the concept of a “intergalactic network” of computers that would allow individuals to access and share information from anywhere in the world.
Licklider believed that such a network would be essential for scientific collaboration and the advancement of knowledge.
Licklider’s ideas were instrumental in the development of the ARPANET, which was the precursor to the internet.
Paul Otlet and the Mundaneum
In the early 20th century, Paul Otlet, a Belgian lawyer and bibliographer, envisioned a global information network that would allow individuals to access knowledge from around the world.
Otlet’s vision was embodied in the Mundaneum, a vast collection of index cards that catalogued information from books, journals, and other sources.
Although Otlet’s vision did not come to fruition in his lifetime, his ideas were influential in the development of the internet and the World Wide Web.
Essentially, one could argue that Paul Otlet envisioned some of the attributes of today’s Internet more than a century before its actual existence.
Recommendation: If you're interested in Paul's work we'd highly recommend following book: "Cataloging the World: Paul Otlet and the Birth of the Information Age."
And so, the three aforementioned individuals mostly discussed a central information-sharing system from some kind of scientific perspective.
On the other hand, there are also a handful of people who wrote books on topics that were somehow similar to the internet in various science fiction works.
Science Fiction Predictions
Mark Twain and the ‘Telelectroscope’
Science fiction has been a source of inspiration for many technological advancements, and Mark Twain’s 1898 short story, “From the ‘London Times’ of 1904,” is a prime example.
In the story, Twain describes a device called the “telelectroscope,” which allowed people to communicate with each other from across the world in real-time.
Twain’s description of the telelectroscope is remarkably similar to modern-day video conferencing technology.
Arthur C. Clarke and Satellite Communication
Arthur C. Clarke, the author of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” is famous for his predictions about satellite communication.
In 1945, Clarke published an article in Wireless World titled “Extra-Terrestrial Relays: Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?” In this article, he proposed the idea of using geostationary satellites for global communication.
Clarke envisioned a system where three satellites in geostationary orbit could provide continuous radio communication coverage for the entire Earth.
He predicted that such a system could revolutionize long-distance communication, making it possible to transmit signals globally without the need for extensive ground-based infrastructure.
While Clarke did not explicitly predict the internet as we use it today, his vision for global communication through satellites influenced the technological developments that ultimately contributed to the interconnected digital world we live in.
And so, this brings us to Marshall McLuhan.
Marshall McLuhan – The Man Who Predicted Internet
Marshall McLuhan was a Canadian philosopher and media theorist who is known for his work in the field of communication theory.
He is considered to be one of the most influential theorists of the 20th century, and his ideas have had a profound impact on the way we think about media and technology.
McLuhan was particularly interested in the way that new technologies shape our perception of the world. He believed that the medium through which information is communicated is just as important as the information itself.
This led him to develop the concept of “the medium is the message“, which suggests that the way in which information is presented is more important than the content of the information.
In his 1962 book “The Gutenberg Galaxy“, McLuhan predicted the rise of what he called the “global village“.
He believed that new technologies, such as television and the telephone, would bring people closer together and create a sense of global community.
He also predicted that these technologies would lead to a new form of communication that would be more visual and less reliant on text.
McLuhan’s predictions were remarkably prescient, and many of the ideas that he put forward in the 1960s are still relevant today.
The rise of the internet, in particular, can be seen as a fulfillment of McLuhan’s vision of a global village.
The internet has brought people from all over the world closer together and has created a new form of communication that is based on images, videos, and other visual media.
While he didn’t specifically predict the Internet, his ideas about the effects of electronic communication, the collapse of spatial and temporal distances, and the transformation of social structures align with many aspects of the Internet’s impact on society.
However, Marshall McLuhan is most often cited as the person who predicted the internet.
And so, there you have it—there were some internet-like predictions in both fiction and non-fiction books and articles.
Nevertheless, no one actually predicted the Internet we have today and its absolute influence on almost every part of our daily lives.
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