“Technology is created in the service of humanity, rather than for its own sake”
[13/10/2008]
“When millions of computers are connected, millions of people are connected. Humanity connected by technology.” These words form part of the speech given by Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, founder of the World Wide Web, this morning at the headquarters of the UOC during his honorary doctorate ceremony.
“When millions of computers are connected, millions of people are connected. Humanity connected by technology.” These words form part of the speech given by Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, founder of the World Wide Web, this morning at the headquarters of the UOC during his honorary doctorate ceremony.
One of the most important aspects of the web for Berners-Lee is “the bridge between
technology and social sciences” given that “technology is created in the service of
humanity, rather than for its own sake”. He also made reference to the importance of net
neutrality, seeing it as “really important for democracy, open markets, religious decisions,
[…] it is crucial, we should protect it”.
The new honorary doctor also highlighted the importance of interconnections between web pages: “I always used to think of the web as a space of interconnected web pages, connected by links. [A link exists because] it was put there by a person under particular motivations so that other people could follow it.” He believes that “to understand the world we have to understand that we are connected”.
The father of the World Wide Web also referred to the social changes brought about by the web: “People live their lives differently since the arrival of the internet. The UOC is a good example because it attracts younger students, whose world is the web. Thus, we need to study the web as a social phenomenon, not just a technological one.”
Berners-Lee “wanted the web to be a collaborative space, where everybody could play and work together. It still hasn’t reached its potential there. […] We must expect and plan for more and more exciting things being done on the web and with the web.”
The father of the WWW received the highest honorary distinction awarded to individuals by the UOC, in recognition of his merits and his work.
The UOC’s President, Imma Tubella; Manuel Castells, Chair of the University’s Research and PhD Committee and patron to the new honorary doctor; Josep Vilarasau, Chair of the Foundation for the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya Council; the Governing Council and the UOC’s 120 doctors took part in the ceremony.
Manuel Castells thanked Berners-Lee for inventing the World Wide Web, as without it “the UOC would not be here, there would not be 47,000 students, there would not be hundreds of professors...”.
Nearly ninety people followed the ceremony via the internet, connecting to the live video streaming.
The new honorary doctor also highlighted the importance of interconnections between web pages: “I always used to think of the web as a space of interconnected web pages, connected by links. [A link exists because] it was put there by a person under particular motivations so that other people could follow it.” He believes that “to understand the world we have to understand that we are connected”.
The father of the World Wide Web also referred to the social changes brought about by the web: “People live their lives differently since the arrival of the internet. The UOC is a good example because it attracts younger students, whose world is the web. Thus, we need to study the web as a social phenomenon, not just a technological one.”
Berners-Lee “wanted the web to be a collaborative space, where everybody could play and work together. It still hasn’t reached its potential there. […] We must expect and plan for more and more exciting things being done on the web and with the web.”
The father of the WWW received the highest honorary distinction awarded to individuals by the UOC, in recognition of his merits and his work.
The UOC’s President, Imma Tubella; Manuel Castells, Chair of the University’s Research and PhD Committee and patron to the new honorary doctor; Josep Vilarasau, Chair of the Foundation for the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya Council; the Governing Council and the UOC’s 120 doctors took part in the ceremony.
Manuel Castells thanked Berners-Lee for inventing the World Wide Web, as without it “the UOC would not be here, there would not be 47,000 students, there would not be hundreds of professors...”.
Nearly ninety people followed the ceremony via the internet, connecting to the live video streaming.