Spirit of the Web: The Age of Information from Telegraph to Internet  Author : Wade Rowland (Canadian)  Literary journalist  Current interests include communications technology, philosophy of science and sources of human values  Amateur radio operator at 15  Quit half way through Honours Economics

 Accepted job at Winnipeg Free Press  Newspaper specialist at Toronto Telegram  Recruited by CTV television news  Met wife-to-be at CTV, Christine Collie  Blue Cat Design: website development Blue Cat Design  Relationship of humans and human values to technology

Earliest communication  Gestures, smoke signals, symbols – 3300 B.C.  Greek alphabet – 730 B.C.  Gutenberg’s Printing Press – 1450 A.D.  Visual telegraph – 1794  Morse and electric telegraph –1840  Transatlantic telegraph cable – 1866 (first www)  Bell and telephone – 1876

From radio to the www…..  Radio network via phone lines  Television broadcasts – 1930s  Digital computer – Harvard – 1942  ARPANET –links computers –  Internet proposal – Washington –1972  TCP/IP protocols – dial-up networking  MS DOS – 1980  Andreessen creates Mosaic (browser) 1994

The Main Ideas  Communication – a basic human need  Technological determinism –no more wars  Technology builds on technology  Networking is the key  Information-based economy  Don’t be afraid – we are in control  An optimistic future

Will the Internet create a new social class?  Computer literacy: the uneducated  Cost of computer/internet access: the poor  “the future is inequality…..western societies are already witnessing the emergence of a rapidly expanding underclass” Prof. Ian Angell, London School of Economics  It’s the end of the world as we know it….  Information society is still a society

A democratic Internet?  Access “not” denied – and Random access  Freedom of speech (type)  Sharing of ideas, cooperation  Individuality – personal webpages  “Users” build the Net  No time constraints  No limits to communication  The Net as public space: “Users” own it  Phone + Computer = Internet

How will the Internet affect Canada?  “A social, economic and cultural revolution is now transforming the world. A new game is starting, and the older rules no longer apply. It is imperative that Canada move quickly to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of this new age” Preparing Canada for the Digital World; Final Report of the Information Highway Advisory Council, 1995, p.4

Canada’s Action Plan  Four main components:  1)Building Canada’s Information Highway  2)Growing Canadian Content  3) Realizing the economic and social benefits for all Canadians  4) Getting Government Right Preparing Canada for a Digital World; The Information Highway Advisory Council, 1995

Government objectives  Create jobs through innovation and investment in Canada  Reinforce Canadian sovereignty and cultural identity  Ensure universal access at reasonable cost  Create opportunities for lifelong learning Preparing Canada for a Digital World; Final Report of The Information Highway Advisory Council, 1995

How will the Internet affect Education?  What do students think? What do students think?  On-line learning and home-schooling On-line learning and home-schooling  Will computers replace teachers? Will computers replace teachers?  Teacher training  Resources  Global communication  Real education versus virtual  Parental/Teacher support or resistance?  Funding  Misuse

What is the future of the Internet?  Will it be at your fingertips?  What about the cost of access?  Who will be at the controls?  Will there be a NewNet?  Will it mark our assignments?  Will it cook and clean?  Will we be out of job?  Where will it end……..?