25 years ago it all started with a .com But Where are we now?

An article by Navarrow    View Comments

Monday was the 25th anniversary of the first  .com domain ever registered. The company is defunct but that action started a revolution. We now live in an era where  .com domain names play a crucial part in our everyday lives.  A web presence is an essential reality for most businesses, and as a general rule, companies that do not have a website domain registered are not really in business.  As I think about how far the Internet has come and how much our world has been changed by it, I’m left to marvel at the possibilities for where we’ll be twenty-five years from now.

Businesses started in garages and dorm rooms have achieved in years what used to take decades to achieve. The playing field is more level than it’s ever been, but I can’t help but think about all the people who are still not part of this world of opportunity.  There are millions of people who are not aware of the wealth of education, health, and career information available online that could change their lives.  They are not aware that even in this time of economic depression, the barriers to creating new businesses online are lower than they’ve ever been.  Based on almost any study you get your hands on, minorities and people living in underserved communities are the ones that are on the wrong side of this equation. The FCC is introducing it’s National Broadband plan on March 17, 2010 as a means of correcting the digital divide that has plagued our country for far too long, and we have to all make sure that it includes the steps and resources necessary to bridge the Gap that keeps too many in our communities behind. We can’t wait another 25 years. The time is now. I have read a few articles on this topic where people have added their predictions for the next 25 years so it makes sense for me to add my predictions/hopes as well.

• Every public school will have broadband internet access and classes will be taught on digital literacy at the elementary school level and technology development will be taught at the middle school level.
• Mobile broadband devices will replace credit/ and debit cards as means of payment
• Entertainment will be delivered via broadband instead of cable and satellite
• Internet based health care will help change the way we interface with doctors
• There will be 10 new minority technology entrepreneurs who will make it on the Forbes billionaire list by making one of the other predictions happen. Will it be you?  I hope so!