We take for granted the speed, reliability and ubiquity of today's internet, but it wasn't ever thus. Do you remember AltaVista, the ZX Spectrum or the iconic tones of a dialup modem? What about the absurdly long wait times to download an image or to log in to an internet chat room? We indulge our nostalgia to gain insights into the evolution of one of humankind's most important inventions.

In this week’s podcast, we look back on the early years of the internet. What will future historians write about the internet? What inspired its creation and who were the key figures and innovators in its design? We assess the capacities and limitations of the primitive internet, reveal where you are likely to find the next internet innovation and suggest industries and sectors that have been forever changed by its arrival. Finally, we reminisce about moments when we realised the age of the internet had finally dawned.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

- I Bought a Million Dollar Piece of Internet History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuJFvgfBV54

- History of Technology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_technology

- Wired UK https://www.wired.co.uk/

- CERN https://home.cern/

- From Arpanet to the Internet https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/arpanet-internet

For more information on Aleph Insights visit our website https://alephinsights.com or to get in touch about our podcast email [email protected]

Image: SecretLondon123 via Flickr