The next web
A presentation at Sendcloud engineering by Hidde de Vries
@hdv The next web and Why it isn’t set in stone Hidde de Vries, SendCloud Online, 13 January 2022
@hdv Hi, I’m Hidde front-end developer + accessibility specialist
@hdv the world wide web
@hdv March, 1989
@hdv 1990: HTML, URI, HTTP Web Foundation, History of the web
@hdv 1993: No fees, no permissions “Had the technology been proprietary, and in my total control, it would probably not have taken o f. You can’t propose that something be a universal space and at the same time keep control of it.” f Tim Berners-Lee, FAQ
@hdv 1994: W3C founded “realize full potential of the Web”
@hdv web Standards so that tools that use the Web work in the same way
@hdv web Standards so that decisions about the Web are made with diverse input
@hdv Web 2.0
@hdv Web 2.0 Coined in 1999 by a UX consultant
@hdv Web 2.0 “The relationship of Web 1.0 to the Web of tomorrow is roughly the equivalence of Pong to The Matrix” Darcy DiNucci, Fragmented future
@hdv Web 2.0 “The Web will be understood not as screenfuls of text and graphics but as a transport mechanism, the ether through which interactivity happens” Darcy DiNucci, Fragmented future
@hdv Web 2.0 “The web will also appear (…) on your TV set, (…) your car dashboard, (…) your cell phone, (…) hand held machines, (…) and maybe even your microwave” Darcy DiNucci, Fragmented future
@hdv Web 2.0 Same tech (eg HTTP) used in more places, more excitingly Darcy DiNucci, Fragmented future
@hdv Web 2.0 Further popularised in 2014 by a publisher: “web as a platform”
@hdv Web 2.0
@hdv user generated content software as a service folksonomy open apis widgets
@hdv Web 2.0 “‘Web 2.0 is, of course, a piece of jargon, nobody even knows what it means” Scott Laningham, developerWorks Interviews: Tim Berners-Lee (22 August 2016)
@hdv “Web3”
@hdv “Web3” Coined in 2014 by the inventor of a blockchain technology
@hdv Decentralised transparent blockchain immutable creators scarcity
@hdv Is it really decentralised? A lot of “web3” APIs, wallets, exchanges are central entities and/or run on central services like Google or AWS Molly White, Blockchain-based systems are not what they say they are
@hdv Is it really transparent? Is it transparent to folks who lack deep technical knowledge?
@hdv Is it really Immutable? Exchanges o en are able to freeze assets or do “hard resets” when they are hacked ft Molly White, Blockchain-based systems are not what they say they are
@hdv Is it really Immutable? You could make an NFT that changes based on who views it fi Moxie Marlinspike, Web 3: rst impressions
@hdv Is it really going to protect creators? Anyone can create NFTs, even of what’s not theirs The Verge, NFT mania is here, and so are the scammers
@hdv Is it really going to protect creators? Royalties are not de ned in ERC-721 fi fi Moxie Marlinspike, Web 3: rst impressions
@hdv Is there really scarcity? When you buy an NFT, only the unique hash is scarce.
@hdv fi Is it hyped by anyone without vested interest? I’m looking for arguments that are more substantial than just “this will enrich me” (which is ne, BTW)
@hdv fi Is it hyped by anyone without vested interest? I’m looking for arguments that are more substantial than just “this will enrich me” (which is ne, BTW)
@hdv “web3” “[“web3” and “dapps”] exist only to hype the underlying cryptocurrencies. The actual utility of these “decentralized” systems is already available in modern distributed systems in ways that are several orders of magnitude more e cient and more capable.” fi f Nicholas Weaver, The Web3 Fraud
@hdv Even if we assume the tech is fine, can “web3” really benefit society?
@hdv We don’t have to make everything about $ Some of us just want to access information securely, accessibly and with minimal privacy impact
@hdv does “web3” solve or create problems? We’ve got to make sure!
@hdv web3 needs sceptics web3isgoinggreat.com
@hdv other exciting futures
@hdv A web with better styles 2022 could bring container queries, cascade layers, color functions, :has(), subgrid and more! Bramus Van Damme, CSS in 2022 (his personal predictions)
@hdv A web with easier payments w3.org/TR/payment-request
@hdv A web with easy and safe authentication
@hdv A web with more art rijksmuseum.nl stedelijk.nl. vangoghmuseum.nl
@hdv A web with more personal sites personalsit.es
@hdv The next web is not set in stone There are many challenges and plans beyond those posed by the “web3” crowd.
@hdv wrapping up
@hdv wrapping up We’ve come a very long way since the invention of the Web. “web3” isn’t what it seems, but it can do real harm: let’s be sceptical. There isn’t one set of plans and challenges for the future of the web.
@hdv thank you. Contact/resources talks.hiddedevries.nl @hdv or hidde@hiddedevries.nl Typefaces Bungee by David Jonathan Ross (DJR) Rasa by Anna Giedryś, David Březina (Rosetta) Useful links Amy Dickens, Web standards: the what, the why, and the how
Word has it that a new version of the web is on the rise. But what does that mean? Is it the only way the web can move forward? In this talk, Hidde will talk to us about the web, how it is developed and how it can evolve.
Video
Resources
The following resources were mentioned during the presentation or are useful additional information.
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Darcy DiNucci, Fragmented future
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Interview Scott Laningham with Tim Berners-Lee (22 August 2016)
in which he calls Web 2.0 jargon
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Molly White, Blockchain-based systems are not what they say they are
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Moxie Marlinspike, Web3, first impressions
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The Verge, NFT mania is here, and so are the scammers
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Tante, The third web
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Web3 is going just great
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Bramus Van Damme, CSS in 2022
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W3C TR Payment Request API
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DigiD
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Rijksmuseum
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Stedelijk museum
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Van Gogh Museum
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Personal sites
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Rachel Andrew, Happy birthday, W3C
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