Harvard Business Online contributor, Tammy Erickson, posted How History Makes the Future Credible May 24, 2008. Erickson’s post pertains to the extraordinary speed at which the Internet has become economically and socially indispensable over the course of a mere 10 years.

The past ten years have been particularly interesting. The Internet has moved from a niche oddity – the turf of specialists and kids – to a pervasive reality in both our business and personal lives.

Of course, Erickson’s assessment is apt but incomplete.  The bulk of her Harvard Business Online post consists of brief time-line, beginning in 1998 with the foundation of Google:

Let me say that again – Google was founded only 10 years ago! Today, with Google’s advanced algorithmic breakthroughs and the competing frenzy of innovation by Yahoo!, Microsoft, and Amazon, useful Web search is the norm. Rather than ending debates with “well, that’s your opinion,” facts can be settled in seconds.

Oh, if only everyone based their opinions solely on facts.  The rapid and increasing speed of the Internet has changed the flow of information from a trickle to a river, but not all of that information is useful, and a great deal of it is quite subjective.  Worst of all, these conditions allow a user to seek out media which is already agreeable to his or her sensibilities.

This is what sets historians apart from the casual Internet user.  A historian must be particularly discerning of online media before considering any of it as source material.  There is a lot of great material on the web, but there is a lot of bullshit too. It is best used track down material that may or may not be online.

Consider a little bit of Erickson’s time-line:

1999

Everquest, a “massively multiplayer online role-playing game” (MMORPGs) is introduced, changing computer games from feats of individual dexterity to extended contests of strategy and reputation development.

Business jargon expands to include terms reflecting the fear of “brick-and-mortar” companies “getting “Amazoned.”

Jack Welch declares the Internet to be the greatest change in business in his lifetime and orders GE’s 12 units to integrate internet technology into their business plans.

The Melissa Computer Virus shuts down email systems worldwide; creating instant recognition of how dependent business has become on this tool.

2000

Y2K turns out to be a non-event, but, as companies prepare, executives recognize that many IT programs are outdated and unwieldy. A shift begins to construct programs out of smaller building-blocks of code.

Dot.coms “crash,” but not before they have installed a significant Internet infrastructure.

PayPal is founded, extending online purchasing capability to millions. Over the next several years, consumer attitudes shift from not trusting ecommerce to buying comfortably over the Internet.

Over 250 million participate on the Internet – about ten times as many as just two years earlier

All of the above are fascinating, factual trends regarding the Internet and society.  However, none of it may be considered source material, If for no other reason than Erickson likely never intended it to be.  It is just a blog post, after all.

What gives Erickson’s artical historical value for the Internet savy historian is that her blog is packed with potential search terms.  Good search terms and keywords may quickly lead to news articles, book reviews, and bibliographies pertinent to the searcher’s query.  Simply put, a quality search permits one to reduce the amount of bullshit to be sifted through.  And, as anyone who has ever performed a poor search already knows, there is a great big pile of it out there. 

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