The World Wide Web is on the cusp of making its next big leap to become an open environment for collaboration, and its inventor said he has not been so optimistic in years.
Still, Tim Berners-Lee, the Briton who invented and then gave away the World Wide Web, warns that Internet crime and anti-competitive behaviour must be fought tooth and nail.
A lot of new technology is becoming available after many years to make the Web smarter and easier to use, he said.
"My personal view is that a lot of it is coming together now. That is very gratifying to see... I'm very optimistic at this moment," Berners-Lee said in a telephone interview ahead of the annual World Wide Web conference, which opens in Edinburgh on Monday.
"The whole industrial environment is more exciting. We had the bubble and the burst, but now you see a low of young companies again. There's renewed enthusiasm among VCs (venture capitalists) to invest in start-ups. I get a feeling of upsurge in activity."
Roughly twice as much money is being invested in European Internet start-ups than the figure two years ago, according to venture capitalist community Tornado-Insider.
"Four years ago, the patent problems were getting in the way. A lot of us were worried, because it looked like the whole thing could get bogged down," Berners-Lee said, referring to attempts by private companies to patent software needed on Web sites and charge royalties for usage.
Thanks to the help of many, royalty-free licences are now available, said the man who never saw a cent of royalties for his invention, which set off an industry now generating hundreds of billions of euros (dollars) in revenues a year.
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Still, Tim Berners-Lee, the Briton who invented and then gave away the World Wide Web, warns that Internet crime and anti-competitive behaviour must be fought tooth and nail.
A lot of new technology is becoming available after many years to make the Web smarter and easier to use, he said.
"My personal view is that a lot of it is coming together now. That is very gratifying to see... I'm very optimistic at this moment," Berners-Lee said in a telephone interview ahead of the annual World Wide Web conference, which opens in Edinburgh on Monday.
"The whole industrial environment is more exciting. We had the bubble and the burst, but now you see a low of young companies again. There's renewed enthusiasm among VCs (venture capitalists) to invest in start-ups. I get a feeling of upsurge in activity."
Roughly twice as much money is being invested in European Internet start-ups than the figure two years ago, according to venture capitalist community Tornado-Insider.
"Four years ago, the patent problems were getting in the way. A lot of us were worried, because it looked like the whole thing could get bogged down," Berners-Lee said, referring to attempts by private companies to patent software needed on Web sites and charge royalties for usage.
Thanks to the help of many, royalty-free licences are now available, said the man who never saw a cent of royalties for his invention, which set off an industry now generating hundreds of billions of euros (dollars) in revenues a year.
Click here for rest
