The World-Wide Web (W3) was developed at CERN to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among researchers. It was inspired by a personal hypertext system used for managing distributed projects. The Web's key features include: 1. **Scalability**: Information can be easily reorganized without major changes. 2. **Client-Server Architecture**: A client program retrieves information from servers, which can be in different locations. 3. **Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)**: A simple markup language for creating hypertext documents. 4. **Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)**: A protocol for efficient data transfer, supporting various formats. 5. **Universal Resource Identifiers (URIs)**: A system for uniquely identifying resources. The Web has evolved to support a wide range of applications, including: - **Search and Navigation**: Users can search for information using text or complex commands. - **Multimedia Support**: The system supports various formats, including images, videos, and audio. - **Extensibility**: New formats and features are continuously being added. - **User-Friendly Clients**: Multiple client programs are available for different platforms. W3 has also influenced other systems like WAIS and Gopher, and has seen significant growth since its inception. Future developments include: - **Name Services**: Refining the way documents are referenced. - **Hypertext Editors**: Enabling non-experts to create hypertext links. - **Sophisticated Document Types**: Providing more advanced document definitions. - **Integration with Real-Time Features**: Such as teleconferencing and virtual reality. The Web continues to evolve, driven by user demand and technological advancements, and is expected to play a crucial role in future information technology.The World-Wide Web (W3) was developed at CERN to facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among researchers. It was inspired by a personal hypertext system used for managing distributed projects. The Web's key features include: 1. **Scalability**: Information can be easily reorganized without major changes. 2. **Client-Server Architecture**: A client program retrieves information from servers, which can be in different locations. 3. **Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)**: A simple markup language for creating hypertext documents. 4. **Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)**: A protocol for efficient data transfer, supporting various formats. 5. **Universal Resource Identifiers (URIs)**: A system for uniquely identifying resources. The Web has evolved to support a wide range of applications, including: - **Search and Navigation**: Users can search for information using text or complex commands. - **Multimedia Support**: The system supports various formats, including images, videos, and audio. - **Extensibility**: New formats and features are continuously being added. - **User-Friendly Clients**: Multiple client programs are available for different platforms. W3 has also influenced other systems like WAIS and Gopher, and has seen significant growth since its inception. Future developments include: - **Name Services**: Refining the way documents are referenced. - **Hypertext Editors**: Enabling non-experts to create hypertext links. - **Sophisticated Document Types**: Providing more advanced document definitions. - **Integration with Real-Time Features**: Such as teleconferencing and virtual reality. The Web continues to evolve, driven by user demand and technological advancements, and is expected to play a crucial role in future information technology.