History of the web

This afternoon I attended the Web 2.0 Expo conference for the only reason to see Fred give the keynote speech.  Granted, I am biased, but it was a fantastic speech.  There is definitely a talent in getting up in front of a large audience and speaking fluently and confidently about a topic.  The history of the web, in NYC, is a topic Fred is very familiar with.

It was fun discussing the past, the successes, the failures, the players prior to the speech.  Although I have always been involved through Fred, I was involved professionally in Silicon Alley (a label that Fred hates) starting in 1996 too.  I rode the crazy roller coaster on many levels for quite a few years.  Instead of using a sporst analogy, I will use a child rearing analogy. I think of the first round of the web like the baby years.  Constant change, ridiculous hours, begging for attention while trying to make your mark.  Like a baby through the early toddler years. 

Web 2.0 is a bit more grown up.  It is the kids and the teenage years now.  A broader age of kids.  I could say that the Internet industry will never move into the adult stage but then again, I guess that is what Yahoo and Google are…adults. 

Fred's speech was about 25 minutes.  There has been many books written about the topic.  I always think I will write a book through my eyes.  My birds eye view is not only an intimate look at many of the companies, people and of course parties,  the success of the Internet changed our lives. 

I can't believe that so much time has passed and how much has been accomplished.  I'll keep thinking about that book…..