Internet Pioneers

Epilogue: A Look to the Future

The Internet began with the Creation of the ARPANET in 1969. The ideas that spawned its creation were dreamed up years before by men like Vannevar Bush and J.C.R. Licklider.Throughout the 1980s the Internet really took off, but mostly at universities and research institutions. Thanks to Tim Berners-Lee's creation, The WWW, the Internet became widely popular and now sometimes seems almost ubiquitous. Below are links to a few audio clips of Vint Cerf, senior vice president of Internet Architecture and Technology for MCI WorldCom; and Phil Barrett, Vice President of Technology for RealNetworks. They discuss their views of the future of the Internet.

Both of these men are in good positions to muse about the future of the Internet. Cerf has been involved since the beginning and now works at one of the main companies involved in providing the backbone of the Internet. Barrett worked at Microsoft managing development teams before signing on at ReaNetworks, the company that pioneered streaming audio and video for the Internet. As available bandwidth increases, many believe that streaming multimedia will come to dominate the Internet and that means that RealNetworks, already a major player in the industry, will likely become even more important.

Note from the author: Various audio clips appear here and throughout of Vint Cerf. The interview was conducted on March 1, 2000, at the Access facility of the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. Expenses were provided by the Park Foundation.

The two audio clips of Phil Barrett are taken from an interview conducted on March 31, 2000, at RealNetworks in Seattle, Washington. Expenses were provided by the Park Foundation.

Vint Cerf discusses exciting new technologies.

Vint Cerf is asked what the average Internet experience will be like in 2010.

Phil Barrett discusses the future. Pt.1

Phil Barrett discusses the future. Pt. 2

 

 

 

 

 

Home| Vannevar Bush | J.C.R. Licklider | Larry Roberts | Paul Baran |
Bob Metcalfe |
Doug Engelbart | Vint Cerf | Ted Nelson | Tim Berners-Lee |
Marc Andreesen
| Epilogue | References |