The danger comes when the government engages in design by committee. It shouldn’t commission a standard. So far, Internet standards haven’t been like that. They’ve developed via open discussion on the network. When government representatives get involved that way, they can do a lot of good.
Predictor: Berners-Lee, Tim
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article in Government Computer News, associate editor Shawn P. McCarthy interviewed Tim Berners-Lee, designer of the World Wide Web, and Marc Andreessen, developer of the Mosaic browser. They shared their views on the Web and government involvement. In response to the question, ÒIs there a role for the government?Ó Berners-Lee replies: ÒWe plan on having government involvement, but it may be under a slightly different arrangement. We’re not sure what that will be … The government has to be careful. It’s a large buyer. If it uses buying power to influence the standards market, it can do a lot of good or a lot of bad. The Posix mandates helped clean up the Unix world to an extent. The danger comes when the government engages in design by committee. It shouldn’t commission a standard. So far, Internet standards haven’t been like that. They’ve developed via open discussion on the network. When government representatives get involved that way, they can do a lot of good.”
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Information Infrastructure
Subtopic: Role of Govt./Industry
Name of publication: Government Computer News
Title, headline, chapter name: They Made the Web Spun Round the World
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 24
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne