Internet is something that I can’t think of living without. Like any other rights in my life, I think having connected to the internet is my right. But then, internet, does not represent a company or anyone in specific. It is something which no one owns or no one takes control of. Well, things have changed now. Someone is always trying to control. But, we’re still moving on.
The Internet Society just released the list of 32 people who made it big on the internet, contributing, innovating and helping the internet move on. The Internet Hall of Fame has honored Aaron Swartz as one of the innovator for his work on Reddit, RSS and also Creative Commons. I personally admired him for his work and fight he made towards SOPA and other policies that tried to control the internet. And I think this reward for him is worth it.
Here’s the entire list of people who were honored in the Internet Hall of Fame 2013:
- 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
- Howard 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
And on the other side, Aaron Swartz’s father has been praising for the Aaron’s Law, which is being proposed to the US Government.
Aaron Swartz ended his life tragically six months before after getting threatened by the US Prosecutors for a 35 year prison time. My heart goes to him.