A History of the Internet and the Digital Future

This book is good enough that I'm using it as the primary text for a 'cyber theory' class. While on one hand the book is a fairly complete history of the events leading to the modern Internet, it is also conceptual. The author considers the unique features of decentralized, lateral peer to peer communication of the modern Internet, and unifies the historical text by considering how these concepts could possibly emerge in the context of a military-government project. It's interesting to see how easily it might have gone another way. If we re-ran history, we'd be unlikely to get the same network - it probably would have been closer to cable television, or expanded phone service.Though the text is extremely detailed, it is highly readable, due to Ryan's extensive cross-references, which help you remember where you are in the story. That is, when he describes a development in the telcos, he relates it back to what was going on at DARPA, as well as concepts advanced by various individuals. It makes Internet's origin and growth a coherent story instead of a mass of facts, or the popular "survive a nuclear war" fable.The book concludes with a cautious, though conventional prediction of the Internet's long-term impact on society. Ryan again considers the effect of decentralized networks, and avoids the starry-eyed predictions of world peace common in many "Internet saves the world" texts. He doesn't consider the 'dark side' - whether the Internet might morph into something less friendly - but this is a minor issue in an otherwise great read.In short, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to move beyond the breathless myths propagated in hindsight, and really understand how this extraordinary technology came to be.

Although the title of Johnny Ryan's comprehensive look at the development of the Internet contains the words "History," "Internet," and "Future," don't for one moment think this book only fulfills the interests of history buffs, techno geeks, or corporate hopefuls looking to make googles of money on the next big Internet gold strike. A History of the Internet and the Digital Future is far more sweeping, addressing the history of the Internet's technological expansion, yes, but the entire read connects technological development with myriad yet correlated political, social, and human conditions that influenced, or were influenced by, the Internet's development as communicative media. A comprehensive resource, this book is as much about the history and integration of human ideas, progressive thinking, and the desire to communicate in political, social,and economic contexts as it is about historical advancements in Internet technology.Ryan's book is divided into three sections, or "phases," each structured to highlight the Internet's developmental stages. Phase One, in Ryan's own words, "examines the concepts and context from which the Internet emerged." Phase Two "traces how the technology and culture of networking matured, freeing communities for the first time in human history from the tyranny of geography in the process." And Phase Three, the chapter I find most engaging, "shows how the defining characteristics of the Internet are now transforming culture, commerce and politics." As these sample direct quotations illustrate, Ryan's prose is conversational without being chatty, informative without being pedantic, clear without sounding condescending, and encyclopedic in a way that does not merely reel off a litany of facts and figures.While Internet scholars are often asked to predict future trends, Ryan effectively demonstrates the ways future trends often hinge on historical precedents without delving into any particular "crystal ball" predictions himself. The emphasis here is less on what will happen than what might happen without being equivocal, and more on the ways that the Internet creates power shifts, and how those power shifts spur change in social, economic, political, and cultural arenas.All told, Ryan's work speaks to readers from all clicks of the mouse. His book's extensive research and pithy explanations work to remind (and perhaps forewarn) readers that humans are in the throws (as they have been since the 1950s) of adjusting to knowledge-making/sharing, production/consumption shifts they encounter through rapidly advancing technology. Right now, as Ryan reminds readers, the technology disseminating knowledge and shifting the paradigms of media power faster and broader than any medium in history is the Internet. A History of the Internet and the Digital Future proves to be essential reading for understanding how we, as everyday Internet users, are situated in the wide-reaching access of digital communication.

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I was looking for a history and overview of the internet. This book does a very thorough job of detailing the origins and develop of the internet. Packed with information. As it is written from a British perspective, it has been a good companion piece to other books about the internet written by Americans. Helps place the development of the internet in a global perspective.

This is well-written, serious and readable. Its coverage is excellent and extended what I thought i knew from other books and from living though this era. A good reference and a good complement for the classic "When wizards stay up late."The second half deals with the future of the internet and with its future transforming effects on society. Stimulating!

This was a great read to walk through history but as the book started converging on the modern era of the internet (late '90s and on) I found some things were glossed over and simplified. I felt there wasn't much prophetic about how the change to centrifugal will continue to affect us as internetworking and ubiquitous connectivity evolves. Still, the first part of the book was a great read so it's a better than average book.

This is a really good book! Very precise yet understandable. Detailed and comprehensive at the same time. I wasn't very excited by conclusions but I greatly enjoyed the process of reading this book.

I ordered this book for my son who is away at college. Trying to save money on the high cost of books our search on Amazon began. I was completely surprised at the low costs of the book and the great condition it was in. This book arrived in a timely manner better than we expected. It was in excellent condition and if we need to use this seller for future semesters we will.

It's always disconcerting when only 1 of the 12 reviews comes from a verified purchase. The US site has the book at 3.5/5 stars—still too generous in my opinion. About 20% of the book is made up of quotations and excerpts from other references loosely joined together with a few words that segue into the next quotation, and the other 80% is kind of dull to read. I don't think it's too unfair to draw comparisons between Richard Rhodes's The Making of the Atomic Bomb. Both books are ultimately a history of science with clear social implications, both books need to choose a balance between overwhelming readers with detail and explaining an esoteric subject in a way which helps put the broader topic in context, and both books need to place emphasis on the people behind it all. And yet where Rhodes, like a magician, manages to keep the reader engaged through 800+ pages, this book constantly has me wondering how more pages I've got until the end of the chapter so I can summon the will power to read on.

Absolutely fascinating into how the Internet was developed from the 1980s, especially the security issues and the progression of new idea Organisations such as Google , Amazon ,Facebook etc .But then makes on think how far these now large powerful Companies can expand

This book not only sets out the facts and the story behind the internet but it also draws positive conclusions for what this means for future society. We are now at a cusp in human development where the power of the internet and digital age can be used either to underpin a "big brother" Orwellian world or (and this is Ryan's view) create a decentralised and human scale world. Corporations and governments should read this book - the emerging digital world is a reality they cannot ignore. Certainly the story of the internet shows how imaginative humans can work and co-operate without top down authority or money reward - the world of the "wiki" has now begun.

Purchased to use in my lessons with Level 3 Media students. Has been a great addition to lessons.