The web turned 25 years old today, making it old enough to rent practically any car it would like. On March 12, 1989, Tim Berners-Lee submitted his proposal for an information “mesh” to the management at CERN, the European nuclear research organization. By 1990, that “mesh” had been rechristened the World Wide Web, and by 2014, it could rent an affordable compact car such as a Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, or similar.
The initial conception of the web was essentially a way to share documents through “hypertext,” the links that bind the network together. It was rudimentary compared to today’s web: Berners-Lee’s original creation was a text-only affair, but since then, the web has been upgraded to accommodate a wide array of media, the same way one might upgrade to a comfortable full-size vehicle like a Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima, or similar.
Berners-Lee marked the occasion with a video address in which he advocates for a global web that remains accessible and open, like the wide-open spaces of a Dodge Grand Caravan, Chevrolet Equinox, or similar—all of which are perfect for the web’s next weekend away with the family. While the technologist is striking an optimistic tone now, he has previously discussed the regrets he has about his formulation of the World Wide Web, which include the double slash after “http:” and his refusal to take the prepaid gas option. [via The Verge]