Rating:  - 1st half instructive; 3rd quarter self-serving; then OK
The tracing of challenges to launch break-through ideas in an ambivilant or hostile environment is very interesting -- and useful; particularly in view of its ultimate impact. But after the first half of the book on this topic, it degenerates to a self-engrandizing testimonial which seriously tempts putting down. The last quarter of the book is once again interesting as a view to the future, so don't ditch it when you get tired of the back-patting.
Rating:  - Internet and the Web
Fantastic man to listen to and read about. It would seem that joncolis@yahoo.com is getting confused with the words "Web" and "Internet".
Rating: - A mixed bag
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, Berners-Lee has written a book that not only describes the invention and evolution of the Web, but also inspires commitment to high principles and deep introspection. Berners-Lee is clearly an intellect of the highest caliber, and his commitment to democratic principles in developing the Web is, to me, profoundly admirable. On the other hand, the author seems to labor under the common curse of most software engineers - an inability to clearly communicate ideas and concepts to the non-specialist. Though he tries in words to communicate these concepts, I believe that, overall, his attempt fails unless the reader first has some exposure to, and familiarity with the world-wide Web - an unacceptable pre-requisite for a book directed at the non-specialist.
The really unfortunate thing about this is that it does not need to be so. For example, the book has no figures and no tables (though it does have a glossary of the hundreds of acronyms used and a good index). A few well-designed figures and summary tables would help a great deal to unify concepts that are just plain fuzzy and awkward when described with words alone. If you've ever seen a Web site and hypertext you can pretty well follow along with the written descriptions, but how much more helpful it would have been to have a few (color) pictures illustrating what a well-constructed Web site with hyper text looks like.
The book does have its fine points. It is a first-hand look at how the Web came into existence, and how it is continuing to evolve today. It also explains efforts to make the Web more valuable. For example, my experience with the Web indicates that it has not only enabled the exchange of accurate, timely, and useful information, but also the dissemination of ignorance, intolerance, and stupidity. Not only has it facilitated these things, it has made it possible for them to "dress up" and look as legitimate as the best peer-review science journal. The unfortunate fact is that anyone with a few thousand dollars and the proper disposition can setup a Web site and say anything they want. This certainly facilitates democratic principles, and I'm not suggesting a central authority that practices censorship by any means, but the unfortunate fact is that it results in an information structure where virtually everything is suspect.
Berners-Lee hints at solutions to this problem through what he calls a "Web of Trust" in which people establish associations on the Web much as they do in real life, where certain associations bring trust, while others bring suspicion. For example, when I pick up a technical book by Wylie, I tend to trust the content because of my experience with other books by this publisher. I make similar associations with some authors, journals, newsmagazines, etc. Development of processes and standards to support this "Web of Trust" will go a long way toward improving the utility of the worldwide Web.
Anther problem I've found with the Web is that there are no acceptable search engines. Current search engines (including the butler) are clumsy things that act like they are trying to understand what you are asking for, but really haven't a clue. Work in progress should enable search engines to actually act intelligently, and provide far greater utility. The author describes some of the possibilities in this arena as well, and sheds some light on what we might expect to see in the future.
Every politician involved in writing legislation associated with the Web should read this book if, for no other reason, than to understand the consequences of attempts to censor information. Burners-Lee offers several anecdotal stories that illustrate the complexity of the Web and how attempts to censor can have unintended consequences. The one I like best regards a Christian fundamentalist group that lobbied for tools that would allow them and others to block sites they considered to be pornographic. As it turned out, other groups had used similar tools to block the fundamentalists' Web site because they considered it to be unacceptable to children owning to the white supremacist and anti-gay propaganda carried there. The example hit home with two important facts about censorship and the Web: First, no single person can decide for everyone what is unacceptable and offensive - big brother censorship is totally unacceptable. Second, the technical tools exist for people to censor themselves and/or their children by blocking certain sites. What we as a society should do, therefore, is to maintain our commitment to democratic principles and freedom of expression while providing the proper technical tools to ensure that parents and individuals continue to have control over what and whom they wish to associate.
There is also a good discussion about issues relating to privacy. Clearly, the Europeans are far ahead of Americans in this area. It seems odd that so many Americans seem oblivious and unconcerned about personal information being acquired about them over the Internet, and that our government has done so little to protect personal privacy.
One unifying theme comes through this book - the Web is not a "thing," it is a space. This space is not controlled by a central authority, but is built upon the principles of individual freedom of expression. Berners-Lee's personal commitment to these ideals is the real reason the Web exists today.
Rating:  - What the heck?
I thought Al Gore invented the Internet! This Berners-Lee guy must be a Republican.
Rating:  - Delusions of grandeur
Despite this man's claim's, he did not create the web as we know it. The web originated as a resource in which scientists could share information over vast distances--much more efficient than standard mail. HTTP evolved from a working group that hammered out the details and finally agreed on a standard. Thus the Protocol in httP. This book is a money-making scheme.
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