From hypertext to linked data: the ever evolving web

Abstract

In this talk, we will reflect on the evolution of the Web. We will do this by analyzing the reasons why it became the first truly ubiquitous hypertext system against all competitors, and then by looking both at the way it has evolved from a network of linked documents to a system that facilitates social networking on a scale previously unimaginable, and at how it will evolve in the future as a network of linked data and beyond. The study of the Web - its evolution and its impact on society, on business, and on government - is referred to as Web science. We consider some of the major challenges of Web science and discuss possible Web worlds of the future.