The
term browser was first used to describe someone who is walking around looking
through things. In the article The
Development of Classical Learning, the author states,“the
title of this book may deceive the hasty browser among bookstores,” (NYTimes, 1884). Interestingly enough the word was mostly used to describe
searching for books. People would and still do browse through bookstores. Browser is a word that has been in the English language for hundreds of years and
had only one meaning until the worldwide web was created in the late 20th
century.
Now
the word “browser” has a whole new meaning. It is now a downloadable program
that allows you to search the worldwide web. In an
article titled Apple Bungles Iphone 6 and
6 Plus pre-orders,Chang writes,“Customers around the U.S. refreshed their web browsers,”(Chang,
2014). Safari, Firefox, and Google chrome are all examples of browsers that are
constantly used by people in today’s society. Thirty years ago “browser” only
meant to look around. Now it not only means to look around, but it means to
search and explore the worldwide web. It is interesting to think about how the
world has changed so much over the last twenty years that now we can browse
virtually. The world has opened up to a faster and newer way of browsing.
I think it's really intersting how the term browser has come to mean more than just physically exploring things. The browsers that we use on our computers now allow us to explore the web, so it makes sense why they have been called browsers. It makes me curious as to what the initial thoughts of those who created the first browser were. Were they thinking that the web would mostly be used as a way to find books and materials from around the world?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you both Zackary and Adam. I think it only makes sense that the applications like Safari, Firefox, or Google Chrome are called browsers because they really do help people browse the world wide web and explore. Sometimes I think it is a little scary because the "browsers" save all of your information and search history. Big companies like Google then use that information and sell it to be used for advertisements. Although the browsers help us find information, it is worrisome that the information is then used to capitalize and make money off the consumers. I wonder if the face of browsing the web will change in the future as people get more concerned with Internet privacy.
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