Gore gets his Internet Due

[Mtnjim]

This will probably be ignored by mainstrean press, but from Network World (http://www.networkworld.com) a magazine for computer nerds:type::

"Maybe he didn't invent the Internet, but after all, he made some serious contributions to its success. That seems to be the thought behind the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences' decision to present former Vice President Al Gore with a Webby lifetime achievement award. Vint Cerf, one of the Internet's key inventors, will give Gore the award at a June 6 ceremony in New York. The group says Gore while in Congress promoted high-speed telecommunications for economic growth and supported funding increases for the then-fledging network. Gore has been roundly ridiculed for a 1999 CNN interview where he said he "took the initiative in creating the Internet." Gore is widely credited for popularizing the term "information superhighway.""

[phersurf]

He never said he invented the Internet! This is a perfect example of how the press has been letting us down. This is the kind of stuff they're supposed to correct.

This is from snopes.com,

Internet of Lies


Claim: Vice-President Al Gore claimed that he "invented" the Internet.

Status: False.

Origins: Despite the derisive references that continue even today, Al Gore did not claim he "invented" the Internet, nor did he say anything that could reasonably be interpreted that way. The "Al Gore said he 'invented' the Internet" put-downs were misleading, out-of-context distortions of something he said during an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "Late Edition" program on 9 March 1999. When asked to describe what distinguished him from his challenger for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Bill Bradley of New Jersey, Gore replied (in part):

During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country's economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system.

Clearly, although Gore's phrasing was clumsy (and perhaps self-serving), he was not claiming that he "invented" the Internet (in the sense of having designed or implemented it), but that he was responsible, in an economic and legislative sense, for fostering the development the technology that we now know as the Internet. To claim that Gore was seriously trying to take credit for the "invention" of the Internet is, frankly, just silly political posturing that arose out of a close presidential campaign. Gore never used the word "invent," and the words "create" and "invent" have distinctly different meanings — the former is used in the sense of "to bring about" or "to bring into existence" while the latter is generally used to signify the first instance of someone's thinking up or implementing an idea. (To those who say the words "create" and "invent" mean exactly the same thing, we have to ask why, then, the media overwhelmingly and consistently cited Gore as having claimed he "invented" the Internet, even though he never used that word, and transcripts of what he actually said were readily available.)

If President Eisenhower had said in the mid-1960s that he, while President, "created" the Interstate Highway System, we would not have seen dozens and dozens of editorials lampooning him for claiming he "invented" the concept of highways or implying that he personally went out and dug ditches across the country to help build the roadway. Everyone would have understood that Ike meant he was a driving force behind the legislation that created the highway system, and this was the very same concept Al Gore was expressing about himself with his Internet statement.

[Mtnjim]

He never said he invented the Internet! This is a perfect example of how the press has been letting us down. This is the kind of stuff they're supposed to correct.

Ya, I know. That was some of my point when I posted about the information showing up in mainstream press. Just not "sexy" enough. Whereas making fun of the VP was.

[belgareth]

Although what the above says is true, Gore's statement was still incorrect. He was not instrumental in creating the internet either, it already existed. He simply facilitated changes in the laws that served to help it become a more viable tool for business. If you choose to say he created it, you would be as correct in saying he created spam and viruses. But none of those statements are true. All three would have occured with or without Al Gore as it was an idea whose time for blossoming was here.

[Mtnjim]

... He was not instrumental in creating the internet either, it already existed. He simply facilitated changes in the laws that served to help it become a more viable tool for business. ...
Speaking as one who actually used ARPANet (and later Gopher sites), you should have heard the screams protests when business started showing up on the Net. "Oh, the purity of the net will be destroyed!!":frustrate

That was sure entertaining. As a quote circulating at the time said:" And lo, the Lord saw the general public enter the net, and beheld that with them came vast quantities of cluelessness....":rofl::lol::LOL:

[belgareth]

I was using the net through educational/scientific facilities at the time. The same screaming was heard.

" And lo, the Lord saw the general public enter the net, and beheld that with them came vast quantities of cluelessness...."

A prophecy comes true! :frustrate :LOL:

[Mtnjim]

From USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-05-04-gore-webby_x.htm) And ABC NEWS (http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=729475)


"Well, maybe it became a political mess because he claimed to have taken "the initiative in creating the Internet" and got called on it."

[Mtnjim]

I was using the net through educational/scientific facilities at the time. The same screaming was heard.

Yes, first through the DoD (civilian working for the Navy), then at the university where I still work.:cheers:

[belgareth]

There's a lot of good and bad that has come of it, speaking as both a moderator on an internet forum and a small businessman who helps his clients use the technology that grew out of those changes. I don't really feel the government did much more than get out of the way so business could thrive in the new environment. Now that it has done so, government wants it's share of the pie, which will probably have a negative impact on future growth. (Our) Government is rather adept at getting involved and screwing things up.

[Mtnjim]

...Now that it has done so, government wants it's share of the pie, which will probably have a negative impact on future growth. (Our) Government is rather adept at getting involved and screwing things up. The only good thing is when congress blocked internet taxes (for now). But you are right the (your?) govenrment will want to get involved. Some in government are so smug, they think they can regulate the world. All I can say is "good luck"!

[belgareth]

You are right to say "for now". They'll figure out a way to get their dirty little fingers into that pie yet. It seems that the majority of what we hear from (the?) government these days are ways to increase revenues. People seem to be missing the point that it is the same as saying "How can we increase taxes?"

The US government can't regulate the world? I thought we were the world's police department?

[Mtnjim]

... It seems that the majority of what we hear from (the?) government these days are ways to increase revenues. People seem to be missing the point that it is the same as saying "How can we increase taxes?"

The US government can't regulate the world? I thought we were the world's police department?
Just think, a couple of years ago, the government managed to balance the budget and even generate a small surplus. Didn't take long for our(?) "mighty leaders" to find a way to spend all of that (or give it to corporations and the wealthy) and plunge us into the biggest deficit in history. And yes, some in Washington seem to think we (the US) should dictate how the (white, fundamentalist-Christian, capitalist) world should work.

[Mtnjim]

Uhhh!
Did we just hijack my thread??
:LOL::rofl::rofl::rofl::thumbsup:

[phersurf]

Ya, I know. That was some of my point when I posted about the information showing up in mainstream press. Just not "sexy" enough. Whereas making fun of the VP was.


Sorry. I didn't mean that towards you.

I was more or less striking out at those that think he said he invented the Internet and have never seen the entire quote.

I actually meant to go back and edit my post but my comapnies firewall went down and we lost access to Gore's Internet (I can't wait to get rid of our Checkpoint firewall)

[Mtnjim]

...I can't wait to get rid of our Checkpoint firewall
Hope you've got a replacement planned. After all, there are no "concealed carry" permits on the Internet.

[belgareth]

Uhhh!
Did we just hijack my thread??
:LOL::rofl::rofl::rofl::thumbsup:
Uh huh. It does seem that way, doesn't it?

[Mtnjim]

Uh huh. It does seem that way, doesn't it?
Oh, well it's Friday!!

[belgareth]

Oh, well it's Friday!!Dang! I knew there was something special about today. It's Friday the 13th!