Historically, an Internet user was identified as a host. The user has access via the host and the user was merely an extension of this host. This made sense when the user required access to the host for the host’s shared resources. With the increased power, capabilities, and ubiquity of personal computers, migration of identity from the host to the user is more likely. The development of PDAs, which are now user-resident hosts rather than host-resident users, is a technology-driven change that will cause significant architectural change in the Internet.
Predictor: McGarty, Terrence P.
Prediction, in context:The 1995 book “Public Access to the Internet,” edited by Brian Kahin and James Keller carries the chapter, “Internet Architectural and Policy Implications for Migration from High-End User to the ‘New User'” by Terrence P. McGarty and Carole Haywood. McGarty is chairman and CEO of The Telemarc Group, Inc. and Haywood is with RAM Mobile Data Inc. They write: ”Historically, an Internet user was identified as a host. The user has access via the host and the user was merely an extension of this host. This made sense when the user required access to the host for the host’s shared resources. With the increased power, capabilities, and ubiquity of personal computers, migration of identity from the most to the user is more likely. The development of PDAs, which are now user-resident hosts rather than host-resident users, is a technology-driven change that will cause significant architectural change in the Internet.”
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Information Infrastructure
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: Public Access to the Internet (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: Internet Architectural and Policy Implications for Migration from High-End User to the ‘New User’
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 246
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne