Blog 1 - Internet / World Wide Web / Bluetooth / Wi-Fi

     The internet is a worldwide system of computer networks and it runs the world as we know it today. Officially developed on January 1st, 1983 by deaf developer Vinton Cerf and his partner Robert Kahn, the internet was originally designed so people could share resources with each other. Something that it is still used for today (among other things).

    The World Wide Web is an interconnected system of public pages and domains that are accessible through the use of the internet. It was created by Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau in 1989 to adapt to the incoming demand for automated information-sharing, mostly between universities and scientists around the world. Just as the internet has, the World Wide Web has remained fairly faithful when it comes to sticking to its original purpose (among other things).

    While the Internet and the World Wide Web have many similarities, they are not the same. Similar to how a rectangle can be a square but a square cannot be a rectangle, the Internet can exist without the World Wide Web, but the World Wide Web cannot function or exist without the internet. 

    The first website was created and went live on August 6th of 1991. It was dedicated to the use and functions of the World Wide Web and was designed by Berners-Lee. It was a sort of How-to for new users, which admittedly, was everyone. 

    Hedy Lamarr was an American actress in the golden days of Hollywood. She has over thirty acting credits spanning her twenty-eight year career. In the shadow of her broad acting career, she was also an inventor. She helped to invent things such as modern carbonation in drinks, traffic stop lights, and (as many would agree) most importantly, she brained and helped pioneer the technology that led to the development of Bluetooth GPS and WiFi. In 2022, Johnny Depp Released a song called “This is a Song For Miss Hedy Lamarr”. The lyrics say things such as “Erased by the same world that made her a star.” and “It’s so hard to talk when no one will hear”. These lyrics reflect how the accomplishments of Hedy Lamarr went unnoticed and unappreciated for many years.

    Modern Bluetooth technology that we use today was invented by Jaap Haartsen in the mid 90’s, however the technology for it was invented by Jim Kardach (among others) who also coined the name Bluetooth, after the 10th century King Harald Bluetooth. The Logo being designed based on the Nordic Rune symbols Hagall and Bjarkan, which represented the late king's initials. 

    The technology for WiFi was originally invented by Hedy Lamar, although it was advanced further to commercial use by John O’Sullivan in 1997. With the original name being WaveLAN, it eventually was redesigned and rebranded as WiFi (standing for Wireless Fidelity), thus making it the lifeline we know and love today.