Internet pioneer predicts online future

Internet pioneer, Vinton G. Cerf, outlined his predictions for the future of online communication in a recent talk at UNSW.

Speaking at the School of Computer Science and Engineering, Mr Cerf covered a wide range of topics, from Internet-enabled refrigerators to the Interplanetary Internet. He also pointed to challenges for the future that may have given students some ideas for doctoral topics.

Mr Cerf's title as one of the Internet's founders comes from his key technical and managerial roles, with Bob Kahn, in creating the Internet and the TCP/IP protocols.

Outside his role as Vice-President of Google, he is working with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the development of the Interplanetary Internet, developing standards to allow communication from planet to planet, and using radio/laser communications that are highly tolerant to signal degradation.

He told the CSE meeting that Internet communication should be a reality between two planets - Earth and Mars - by the end of the decade and a wider reality by the end of the century.

Mr Cerf said he was "stunned" by the plethora of web-enabled equipment now available, such as picture frames, surf boards, washing machines, refrigerators and personal weight scales.

Click here to read Mr Cerf's predictions about Google, YouTube, Amazon and eBay.