Revealing Interview of Tim Berners-Lee

[! search-engines-]

http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.3337


Looking back on 15 years or so of development of the Web is there anything you would do differently given the chance?

I would have skipped on the double slash - there's no need for it. Also I would have put the domain name in the reverse order - in order of size so, for example, the BCS address would read: http:/uk.org.bcs/members. The last two terms of this example could both be servers if necessary.

What subsequent Web developments by others have impressed you most?

The Google algorithm was a significant development. I don't want to name too many, but in general I like the fact that I've had thank you emails from people whose lives have been saved by information on a medical website or who have found the love of their life on a dating website, which is great. The important thing is the diversity available

[KLB]

That was an interesting article. In a way; however, I am glad the domain name structure is the way it is and it isn't the way he now wishes he had created it (e.g. http:/net.websitepublisher.www).

[James]

I'm surprised that they'd (as in the initial people) even include the www. in the first place--or at least retained it to this degree (as in people that still cling to it). It's redundant for online browsing.

[! search-engines-]

When browsing inside a Network - depending on how it is set up, typing your domain's URL without the WWW - could bring you to your private INTRANET or to Outlook -Web eg: domain.com/exchange

typing your domain with the WWW would bring you to the Website.

Also, depending on how your DNS server is set up, in theory, the WWW could be made to go to a different IP address than the SAME non-www domain.

[KLB]

The reason WWW became so prevelant was because in the beginning the subdomain was used for different servers www.example.com for web, gopher.example.com for gopher (any body remember using it?), ftp.example.com for FTP, mail.example.com, etc.

I personally never used WWW for my sites but people always seem to insist on appending www to my domain names when they link to my site, which drives me nuts. I use a 301 redirect, but I still wish people would stop adding www to my domains because I see it as pointless.

[Fender963]

I think the general public i.e non technical folk simply like typing in three consecutive w's. It makes them feel good or something.

[Cutter]

When I first started using the internet people were still using gopher, I think I used it a few times.

[moonshield]

I think the general public i.e non technical folk simply like typing in three consecutive w's. It makes them feel good or something.


I always type 3 ws and redirect all my sites so they only use the ws.

[TheOriginalH]

I treat the www (pronounced properly in H'land as "Wubbleyou") as the same as without. My hosts both automatically do this anyway when a new package is set up. A little concerned about possible search engine effects, but I do believe many people omit the www, so worthwhile - and in some cases perceptually preferable to a redirect.

The slash thing makes sense - but I'd feel like I'd lost an old friend if at any point technology did away with it :(