It's hard to imagine life without the Internet. But it didn't spring into existence on its own. A whole lot of people made it happen.
The Internet Society just released its list of 2013 inductees to the Internet Hall of Fame, honoring a group of people that went above and beyond.
Three names jump out from this distinguished list: Marc Andreessen, who helped build the first widely used web browser and made the Internet easier to use; Richard Stallman, whose ideas about free software changed the software industry forever; and Aaron Swartz, whose tragically short life was still filled with big achievements.
We have to admit that we were a bit surprised that Andreessen and Stallman weren't already inducted.
Here's the full 2013 list from the Internet Society.
- David Clark: Significant contributions to early Internet protocols and architecture
- David Farber: Instrumental in developments of the early Internet; created the first operational Distributed Computer System
- H oward Frank: Co-wrote proposal that won contract to design network structure for the ARPAnet
- Kanchana Kanchanasut: Brought the Internet to Thailand
- J.C.R. Licklider (posthumous): Championed the vision of a world-wide computer network
- Bob Metcalfe: Led the invention, standardization, and commercialization of the Ethernet
- Jun Murai: Developed the first inter-university network in Japan and considered Father of the Internet in Japan
- Kees Neggers: Instrumental in the development of the Internet in the Netherlands
- Nii Quaynor: Pioneered Internet development and expansion throughout Africa
- Glenn Ricart: Set up the first Internet Exchange Point
- Robert Taylor: Leader in the development of modern computing technology and computer networks
- Steve Wolff: Developed first open computer network in the U.S. to support research and higher education
- Werner Zorn: Led team that created infrastructure to connect Germany to the Internet
- Karen Banks: Networking leader who used information and communications technologies and applications as tools for social change
- Gihan Dias: Instrumental in establishing the academic Internet and first email system in Sri Lanka
- Anriette Esterhuysen: Helped establish email and Internet connectivity in Southern Africa Steve Goldstein: Guided the connection of approximately 25 countries to NSFNET, including those in Europe, Latin America and east Asia.
- Teus Hagen: Initiated European Unix User Group and started EUnet
- Ida Holz: Instrumental in development of first networks that underpinned the Internet in Latin America
- Qiheng Hu: Led the NCFC project team to bring the Internet to mainland China
- Haruhisa Ishida (posthumous): Leader in introducing UNIX computing and internetworking to Japan
- Barry Leiner (posthumous): Envisioned and helped establish Internet Activities Board, which led the effort to set Internet technical standards
- George Sadowsky: Aided in deployment of information technology to more than 50 developing countries
- Marc Andreessen: Co-authored the first widely-used browser, Mosaic, and co-founded Netscape
- John Perry Barlow: Co-founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Francois Flückiger: Convened meeting that led to Réseaux IP Européens (RIPE), and contributed to the creation of the pan-European Internet backbone
- Stephen Kent: A leader in the architecture of network security systems
- Anne-Marie Eklund Löwinder: Innovator in implementation of DNS Security Extensions technology and usage procedures
- Henning Schulzrinne: Co-developed protocols that are used by almost all Internet telephony and multimedia applications
- Richard Stallman: Founded the Free Software Foundation
- Aaron Swartz (posthumous): Co-authored version of RSS, co-owner of Reddit, and early architect of Creative Commons
- Jimmy Wales: Fueled the user collaboration and sharing trend as founder of Wikipedia
Congratulations to all!