| Last month, I discussed the Semantic Web as one of | | | | with the tools to turn that information into the |
| the three technologies that I think will converge | | | | knowledge you need. |
| during the next five years to make a significant | | | | EASY means the seamless integration of all the |
| change in how we live, how we work, how we play, | | | | different Internet applications you use so you never |
| and how we shop. The Semantic Web will know | | | | again have to worry about the format of your files |
| what you want. Your browser will understand the | | | | or the types of browser you are using. |
| content of the web pages that you surf. You will do | | | | EVERYWHERE means we will have ubiquitous access |
| things with the Web that you cannot now imagine. | | | | to the Internet and to the millions of different |
| Today, it is as hard to predict the future of the | | | | devices--PCs, PDAs, cell phones, TVs, VCRs, cars, |
| Internet and e-business as it would have been for a | | | | refrigerators, vending machines, even pet |
| Civil War telegraph operator to imagine what we are | | | | collars--attached to it. |
| doing now in communications. We simply can't | | | | FAST means we will have speed and be able to |
| foresee all the ways that the Internet of the future | | | | prioritize the data that is transferred over the |
| -- the Next Generation Internet -- will be used or the | | | | network. Just think what 1000 time faster would do. |
| full impact it will have. | | | | TRUSTED means the Internet will have effective, |
| In the last ten years, the Web was born, browsers | | | | transparent privacy, security and authentication built |
| have emerged and users have grown from 16 million | | | | in. It will be safe to pay vendors in Millions on the Net. |
| to almost a Billion. It has created hundreds of billions | | | | ALWAYS ON means the Internet will be there |
| of dollars of economic growth. It enabled the | | | | whenever you need it -- that it will be designed to |
| meteoric growth of thousands of companies and | | | | ensure reliability. Like a Palm Pilot, you just turn it on. |
| transformed business, education, entertainment-- | | | | The three most important capabilities of the NGI that |
| almost every aspect of our lives. And even larger | | | | will matter to Retailers are very high speed, |
| changes are coming as the Internet becomes faster, | | | | Multicasting, and demarcated levels of service. |
| more robust, and more versatile. | | | | Higher bandwidth - Maybe 1,000 times faster than |
| For us to take full advantage of the capabilities of | | | | the current Web. Imagine if the Web was like cable |
| the Semantic Web, we will need a faster path onto | | | | TV, but with 40 Million channels. |
| and through the Internet. When the Web emerged | | | | Multicasting - Allows a packet to be sent to many |
| ten years ago 4.8K bps was considered fast and | | | | locations at the same time. This allows content to be |
| broadband was out of the question for the | | | | shared in real time with a high efficiency. This will |
| household. Currently the connection over telephone | | | | enable applications that we can not now imagine. |
| lines is 56K bps; cable modems can provide almost | | | | Demarcated levels of service - Content can be |
| 5,000K bps and a new connection from the telecom | | | | prioritized with delivery ensured. |
| company by the name of Citizens is called ADSL2+ | | | | The Semantic Web and the NGI |
| and can operate at almost 20,000K bps. Verizon has | | | | Most analysis of the NGI that I have seen does not |
| a new service called Fios that is advertised to be able | | | | take into account the impact of the Semantic Web |
| to run at 30,000K bps. | | | | along with the NGI in delivery of service. Together |
| What would you do different if the Web ran at | | | | these will make grid computing more of a reality for |
| 100,000,000K bps? I think you would do everything | | | | companies. Most retailers have more computer |
| different. You could transfer a DVD in a less than a | | | | power in the stores than at the enterprise level. Why |
| second. | | | | not use that power when the store is closed to do |
| The Next Generation of the Internet has been built | | | | the big jobs like pattern recognition and trend |
| and is now running at over 200 Universities. | | | | analysis. IBM is currently doing just that on employee |
| Internet2® is a consortium of 207 Universities | | | | lap tops when the machine goes into screen saver. |
| working with Industry and Government to create the | | | | Almost a hundred thousands IBM employee's laptops |
| next Generation of the Internet. Internet2 has a | | | | are now working on a protein folding problem |
| number of projects designed to accelerate the | | | | whenever their terminal is idle. |
| journey into the future. One of these projects is | | | | This combination will allow a different model of where |
| called Abilene. Abilene is now running at 10,000,000K | | | | the software lives and how it is charged for. If there |
| bps and plans on hitting 100,000,000K bps. You can | | | | is no difference in performance between native and |
| visit Internet2 at: | | | | thin client remote operation, we can be much more |
| Most descriptions of the future of the Internet have | | | | creative. Why not rent a software package based on |
| focused on bandwidth. But the Next Generation | | | | minutes of use rather than deal with installation and |
| Internet is about a lot more than just high-speed | | | | ongoing maintenance? |
| networks. It's really about applications. It's not what | | | | As the Internet has become faster, people have |
| the technology can do; it's what we will be able to do | | | | spent more time surfing. They have spent more time |
| with it. | | | | on a retailer's site. The faster the pages come, the |
| Several technologies will soon converge to allow the | | | | more pages are examined. What can we do for the |
| NGI to become: NATURAL, INTELLIGENT, EASY, | | | | consumer with a connection that is 1,000 times |
| EVERYWHERE, FAST, TRUSTED, and ALWAYS ON. | | | | faster and that understands the content? |
| NATURAL means having tools for collaboration and | | | | The Internet is becoming so pervasive, so reliable, |
| conversation so you can work together as | | | | and so transparent, that we'll all just take it for |
| effectively in cyberspace as you do face-to-face. | | | | granted. It will just be part of our life -- like electricity |
| INTELLIGENT means the Internet will not only guide | | | | or plumbing. |
| you to the information you want, it will provide you | | | | Copyright © Daniel Hopping. |