Out of Chaos Comes Order - The Internet's Future

It is said that great things are born out of chaos. Some say the start of the Universe was the result of a 'Big Bang' wherein an event triggered the explosion of a dense and hot mass and that explosion continues to this day 13.7 billion years later where planets exist in an orderly manner, relying on each others gravitational pull and characteristic relationships.

Another example of great things being born out of chaos can be seen in you and I. From a singular event where we 'exploded' into this world, screaming and terrified, we ultimately became cooperative, caring and collaborative human beings (for the most part;-)).

So it's no great surprise that the Internet itself was born out of chaos and destruction. In 1962, the Internet seeds were planted as a means of remotely controlling nuclear weapons. It was a network of computers that were strategically placed throughout the country for the sole purpose of destruction and control.

Over the years, researchers recognized it's potential value and through the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) ARPANET was created , enabling the communication and collaboration of researchers nationwide. Replaced in 1992 with the help of Tim Berners-Lee and the adoption of his HTTP and HTML, the Internet as we now know it was able to evolve.

As more and more users found reason to engage in the use of the Internet, the transition from research and technical boasting has moved to more mainstream interactions. We are all finding relevancy in the Internet now. Whether it's looking for directions, seeking out referrals, checking bank balances, purchasing items, you name it, the universe has expanded.

Where we go from here is a continual evolution towards a sense of order and relevance. The techies and researchers were vital to the foundation of this great Internet universe. The graphic designers and the game makers were key to engaging more users. But it is the communicators and more specifically, as Malcolm Gladwell so famously illustrates, the Connectors, the Maven's and the Salesmen that will be the true builders and the future of the Internet.

Just look at Social Media today. We see Connectors whenever we see a referral or a link. We see Mavens in various blogs, research postings and articles. And we see Salesmen in the various websites and portals that we find when ever we search for a product or service.

It is early still, but as more and more people come to recognize the true essence of the Internet, it will continue to grow more orderly and relevant and quite frankly become the universe that everyone will come to rely on.