Nope. They aren't. The Internet has been around much longer than the World Wide Web, of "www" fame. The Internet can be thought of as the nuts and bolts - the hardware - that makes the Web possible. The web is a protocol, a way of transferring information using the Internet. While the Web dominated for a while, it was never the only means of transferring information on the Internet and now its dominance is clearly on the wane.
I usually avoid Wired articles, but this one is a good summary of what has happened in the past few years. The world of the web browser is waning ( I love alliteration!) As the wired article points out, we use the Internet - the wires, routers, servers and other hardware - more than ever. But we use them with specialized tools for specific purposes. This is an interesting development for libraries, I think.
It lends a sense of urgency, in my opinion, to the library discussions about how to serve the mobile users in our service areas. Tools like Seattle Public Library's catalog app will be a "must have" for local libraries. I think we'll have to come up with something for HPL soon!
The other area of concern I see; one that will hit libraries in the pocketbook, is dealing with online published content. This article talks about the issues much more succinctly than I can and probably more clearly. Basically, the Web equals wide-open anything-goes forum and the tailored app-based model equals controlled revenue generation, which is the obvious choice for media outlets.
I guess the real question is not, "What happens to the Web?" but looking ahead, "How do we deal with an apps-based online world and what's going to come after that?"
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