What are the Objectives of the World Wide Web?

The internet has become one of the most influential global phenomena in the world. The number of users of the global network has surpassed 5 billion. That is two-thirds of the human beings residing on the crust of this planet! Moreover, by the end of the first half of the 2020s, we will have more than 35 billion devices connected to the internet. For comparison’s sake, that is more than a hundred times the population of the entire United States! Talking about the United States population and the internet, here’s another striking figure: the number of internet service providers (ISPs) in the United States has crossed 7000! Not only are the providers large in number but the deals each of them offers are also many. You can easily look at Xfinity internet deals and those of other internet service providers online.  

Naturally, the more of an influence the internet has on our lives, the more questions that are asked about it. People often find themselves deliberating on answers to these questions in social gatherings. While some wonder how the internet is affecting the lives of children, others like to discuss the origins and objectives of its different applications. If you are one of the latter, this article is ideal for you! We say this knowing that we will be discussing the objectives of the most widely used application of the internet – the World Wide Web (WWW). Once you read through the whole article, you will be able to better answer questions about the increasingly influential phenomena called the “internet.”

Objectives Of ARPANET – The Grandfather Of The World Wide Web

Some of the people who came up with ARPANET were heavily involved in the invention of the internet. Also, some of the people who were involved in the creation of the internet played a role in the creation of the World Wide Web. This is because all of these inventions had similar motives. As the WWW has become so large and is made up of so much content from so many people, it is impossible to pinpoint the objectives behind the entire phenomenon. Instead, delving into the motives behind its relatively tinier predecessor – the ARPANET – might be the way to go. 

While the NET in ARPANET stands for “network,” the term ARPA stands for “Advanced Research Projects Agency.” Contrary to what you might be thinking, ARPA is not an agency of a federal department responsible for technological advancement. Rather, it is an agency of the United States Department of Defense. Yes, the father of the internet was created for military purposes. During the Cold War, upon the threat of the annihilation of its data that was all in specific physical locations, the Department of Defense came up with a network that connected computers over long distances. 

However, ARPANET’s scope was not restricted to the military for long. One of the earliest developers at ARPANET was Dr. Leonard Kleinrock. In his piece published in 1962, “Information Flow In Large Communication Nets,” he described his vision for the ARPANET for the future decades. Then, in 1968, two more key figures of the organization – Robert Taylor and Joseph Licklider-  also wrote about their vision in the piece, “The Computer as a Communications Device.” Both these pieces shared a common objective – to come up with a platform that could enable the formation of global communities. Indeed, today, this objective reflects heavily in the mission of the World Wide Web.

W3C Mission

The World Wide Web, on the “Mission” page of its website, lays out the following goals:

Web For All

The web is for all humans to communicate, no matter which continent they are on and no matter which race they belong to. Besides geographical location and racial background, the web aims to not discriminate on the basis of language, culture, or mental ability.

Web On Everything

If you aim to bring the web to everyone, making sure it can be accessed from all devices is probably the first step. The World Wide Web Consortium realizes that which is why it aims to make the platform compatible on all kinds of devices, including smartphones, interactive television systems, kiosks, personal digital assistants, and voice response systems. 

Web For Rich Interaction

Although the Web was initially a read-only tool, the purpose was always to allow rich interactions. With the WWW facilitating the rise of the metaverse, it is safe to say that it has gone pretty far in its pursuit of this objective. 

Web Of Data & Services

The WWW also aims to continue serving and expand its role as a giant repository of linked data. 

Web Of Trust

The web also aims to provide a platform for people to strengthen their social relationships. 

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you decipher the objectives of the World Wide Web and, in the future, helps you participate in discourses about it.