Betabeat » Tim Berners-Lee

Booting Up: Stop Watching YouTube and Get Some Sunshine Edition

Kelly Faircloth — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 07:00:37 -0400

The ghost haunting the Valley. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Are we in the twilight of Silicon Valley? Yammer CEO David Sacks seems to think so. [TechCrunch]

It's like the worst Cosmo quiz of all time: Is your Web 2.0 company an Amazon, or a Pets.com? [AllThingsD]

In July, Americans watched 36.9 billion online videos. Americans should probably go outside more often. [CNET]

Here is a terrifying platoon of noodle-slicing robots. [Eater]

Internet jokerster Tom Scott pretended to put the Ecuadorian embassy on Airbnb. [Twitter]

Apropos of very little, we give you Tim Berners-Lee's original World Wide Web announcement, for your nostalgic pleasure. [Google Groups]

Microprocessing pioneer Victor Poor has passed away. [New York Times]

Happy Birthday, Internet! We Would Like to Thank You For…

Jessica Roy — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:05:45 -0400

Wired pointed us to the fact that on this day in 1991, "the world wide web became publicly available for the first time." Father of the Internet Tim Berners-Lee posted an introductory post to the alt.hypertext Usenet group on August 7, 1991, and all at once another world was born: one where we'd be able to see each other's faces without being near them and join with like-minded people to geek out about shit and--of course--watch lots and lots of free porn.

In the 21 years since the web's first public introduction, we have learned a lot about GIFs (hard G, IDGAF), site design (RIP blink tag) and predators. It's been a whirlwind couple of decades!

Now, come: Venture with Betabeat into a gallery of some of the things we would like to thank the Internet for spearheading. Clickity click.

Snooty British Kids Don’t Care That Tim Berners-Lee Invented the World Wide Web

Kelly Faircloth — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:30:08 -0400

Given that coding lessons are the new Baby Mozart, we are in no way surprised at the existence of Code Club, the latest educational initiative launched across the pond. We are, however, quite amused at this promotional video, in which a sassy panel of children considers the Internet's biggest names for open advisory positions. Most do not meet their exacting standards.

YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley doesn't impress them once they know he doesn't actually make the videos; Tim Berners-Lee's credentials are underwhelming. They get excited about Bebo, but only because it sounds like Bieber. Don't worry, kids--you're not missing much on that last one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxhGIajRsq4

Perhaps we should put these children in charge of Silicon Alley recruiting. At least they're not trying to bribe anyone with a Segway.

(h/t The Next Web)