Chapter 2: The Internet Revolution

The transformation from a military research project to the backbone of global communication represents one of the most remarkable technological achievements in human history. ARPANET, developed in the late 1960s, laid the groundwork for what would become the Internet—a network that would connect not just computers, but people, ideas, and entire civilizations.

From ARPANET to World Wide Web

The journey from a small network connecting four university computers to today’s global Internet spanning billions of devices illustrates the exponential nature of technological growth. Key developments included:

The Foundation (1969-1989)

• 1969: ARPANET connects its first four nodes
• 1971: Ray Tomlinson sends the first network email
• 1983: TCP/IP becomes the standard protocol
• 1989: Tim Berners-Lee proposes the World Wide Web

The Commercial Explosion (1990s)

The 1990s marked the Internet’s transition from academic tool to commercial platform. The introduction of web browsers, particularly Netscape Navigator and later Internet Explorer, made the Internet accessible to ordinary users.

The Dot-Com Boom and Bust

The late 1990s saw unprecedented investment in Internet-based companies, leading to both revolutionary innovations and spectacular failures. This period taught valuable lessons about the relationship between technological capability and business viability.

Lessons Learned

• Technology alone doesn’t guarantee success
• User experience matters more than technical sophistication
• Sustainable business models are essential for long-term viability
• Network effects create powerful competitive advantages

Social Impact

The Internet didn’t just change how we access information—it fundamentally altered human social interaction. Email replaced letters, instant messaging competed with phone calls, and forums created new forms of community.

The democratization of information publishing meant that anyone could become a content creator, leading to both an explosion of valuable knowledge and the challenge of information quality control that we still grapple with today.

Setting the Stage

The Internet revolution created the infrastructure for everything that followed: e-commerce, social media, mobile computing, and cloud services. Understanding this foundation helps us appreciate the magnitude of changes that were yet to come.

Next: Chapter 3 - The Mobile Revolution