How is the internet shaping our lives, and how will it shape the future? Internet pioneer Michael Rotert tracks the metamorphosis of the internet from the beginnings of the ARPANET to Industry 4.0.
Try to imagine the internet as a dynamic mural that has been constantly evolving over the course of several decades. At first it was an unspectacular mosaic comprising just a handful of interconnected computers – a niche project, named ARPANET, that was funded by the US government and used primarily by research organizations. But today it has developed to become a vibrant artwork that permeates every aspect of our lives.
“The opportunities for global cooperation between all kinds of research institutions were among the reasons for its rapid development,” explains Michael Rotert, one of the pioneers of the digital era. “The pace was further accelerated when its use by industry was approved. However, it was only the dawn of the World Wide Web that brought the internet into people’s homes and began filling it with content,” is how he sums up the success story of recent decades. Rotert is honorary president of the Association of the Internet Industry and played a key role in developing the internet in Germany. In 1984 he received the first German e-mail.
ARPANET: The Humble Beginnings
Das Arpanet: So revolutionär, dass ihm am Entstehungsort in Arlington, Virginia ein Monument gewidmet wurde.
| Foto (Detail): © picture alliance/ASSOCIATED PRESS/J. David Ake
As with any masterpiece, the internet also began with a simple sketch. In the late 1960s, it took concrete shape in the ARPANET. Initially comprising just four university computers, this network was intended as an experimental project – yet it had the potential to transform science and technology for ever.
As the ARPANET gradually evolved, the true significance of this new technology began to emerge. It allowed information to be shared across the entire world, something that had been inconceivable until then. But perhaps more importantly, it paved the way for decentralized communication. Unlike conventional communication systems, in which information is exchanged between two fixed points, the ARPANET made it possible to share data between and via several different points – a revolution in communication technology.
The First E-mail in Germany
Schon bald kann er das 40-jährige Jubiläum der ersten E-Mail Deutschlands feiern: Michael Rotert 2014 mit der Auszeichnung anlässlich des 30-jährigen Jubiläums.
| Foto (Detail): picture alliance/dpa/Uli Deck
The next crucial phase in the evolution of the internet was the development of electronic mail, or e-mail for short. e-mail revolutionized communication because messages could now be sent immediately but read later. During this phase, one important milestone for Germany came on 3 August 1984 when Michael Rotert, a young scientist at the University of Karlsruhe, installed the first e-mail server in Germany, thereby providing e-mail services to research institutions throughout the country.
Rotert already recognized the fundamental significance of this event at the time: “Through its early involvement in the spread of the internet, Germany played an important role in many developments, such as the founding of the Internet Society, the introduction of the Domain Name System and the very early establishment of internet service providers. All of these were positive consequences that began when the first e-mail was sent in Germany in 1984.”
The Breakthrough: The World Wide Web
Invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, the World Wide Web revolutionized the early internet and paved its way into homes around the world. It was akin to daubing a canvas with paint – it added a visual dimension to the internet, making it more accessible and more interactive. Previously a technical tool used mainly by scientists and technicians, the network was transformed into a platform that everybody could use. Texts, images, music and even videos could now be shared at the click of a mouse. The WWW made the internet an indispensable part of everyday life.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
As the internet increasingly permeated almost every aspect of our lives, a new era dawned: the fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0. During this phase, in which the internet started to be used in combination with other technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and the internet of things (IoT), it became a driving force for innovation and change in industry and society as a whole.
Rotert regards the fourth industrial revolution as further evidence of the transformative power of the internet. “The use of the internet via new mobile communication technologies also plays a not insignificant role” – for nowadays smartphones and WiFi interconnect us constantly, no matter where we happen to be.
Degrowth: One Possible Scenario?
These days, the internet influences fundamental areas of human life. From the way we communicate and work to our consumer behaviour and recreational activities, it has profoundly altered the structures of our everyday lives.
So what form might the internet take in future? Michael Rotert has a number of predictions. “I believe that wireless technologies will predominate – on the local level this will probably happen using light waves such as lightbulbs. We may also see the internet being adapted to longer delays for communication in space. And I expect artificial intelligence and advanced encryption to become increasingly widespread.”
Despite the internet’s undeniable dominance nowadays, there are calls for “degrowth”, i.e. for a scaling back of technology and the internet. This is not a serious option in Rotert’s view, however. “It has never been possible to turn back time in order to eliminate new developments. Equally, I cannot imagine returning to the steam locomotive or horse-drawn vehicles,” he says.
The Ongoing Metamorphosis of the Internet
The transformation of the internet is an ongoing metamorphosis, and it will be fascinating to see which colours and forms it adopts in the future. As with any artwork, it is up to us to recognize its beauty and possibilities and to use and shape them in a responsible manner. After all, with every click of the mouse we are ultimately helping to design this huge mural ourselves.
08/2023