Final answer:
The evolution of the internet began in the 1960s with government and academic networks, leading to the establishment of communication protocols and the birth of the World Wide Web. While originally a peer-to-peer network, the internet has increasingly been shaped by corporate interests and technologies like broadband connectivity. Tim Berners-Lee’s development of web technologies on a NeXT computer marked a significant milestone in this journey.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Evolution of the Internet:
From its origins in the 1960s as a government and scientific network, the internet has undergone massive transformation. The early work by Department of Defense alongside universities paved the way for private networks that would evolve into the modern internet. By 1982, standardized communication protocols were established, and towards the end of the 1980s, the Internet began to burgeon into an application-rich platform thanks to the development of the World Wide Web.
During the 1990s, modems played a crucial role in connecting users to the expanding web, which then transitioned to broadband connections for higher speeds. The start of the decade saw the birth of online service providers like America Online (AOL), search engines, and commercial internet platforms. Over time, the internet shifted from a peer-to-peer network into a medium dominated by corporate interests, partly due to changes like the potential rollback of net neutrality.
Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, envisioned a more democratic internet, writing key technologies such as HTML and URLs on a NeXT computer at CERN. As the internet's capacity expanded with fiber optic backbones and cellular networks, it changed our very language, incorporating terms such as "e-mail," "downloading," and "blogging" into everyday vocabulary. While the internet has come far from its origins, access and neutrality remain critical issues as we move forward.