Scenario 4: bottom-up Internet
We are the Borg. Resistance is futile!
In this scenario of the future of bottom-up Internet the current nerds will decide the future. Scenario by Robert, timeline by Andrew.
2006 The big startup
After a couple of serious fraud cases due to spyware and phissing governments will join forces to come with a global ruling system. In addition they're starting to fund several open source projects to move away quicker from Microsoft software. This incentive and with government funding to start a research and development project, private organizations see this as a great timing opportunity to join forces and do research together.
2007/2008 Research and innovation
The big statup attracts experts worldwide to be really innovative and rapidly starting to develop secure on-line applications. To be able to deliver them to clients certain basics and current annoyances have to be get rid off. For this several new standards are being created at high speed and because of the joint forces they are actually being supported.
2009 Continue but bigger and better
Pleased with the fast results they are getting the governments put everything at work to continue this cooperation. They start creating several big research centers worldwide where anyone who qualifies can do research without having to worry about resources. Corporations see this as THE meeting place for joint research projects and invest more in these research centers instead of one of their own.
2010 Assimilate, assimilate!
New technology replaces old technology in just matter of months. It is really hard to keep up-to-date and informed about all the technologies coming out unless it’s your full-time job. Since the technology itself is more focused on than the actual use of it user friendliness and the commercial value isn’t really being considered. Only a limited amount of features is actually being used and technology gets an image of being only a gadget.
2011 Optimization complete
By now nothing of the old Internet is still in use; it has been rebuild from the ground up. The result is that it is very fast, efficient and provides a great platform to build on for years and years to come.
201x Get the users back
With a highly technical but optimized infrastructure corporations are starting to see huge commercial potential and try to get users by starting to focus on what they want by user friendliness.