Ed3 Weekly Issue #63: Into the Thick of It
Getting into the weeds of the web3 ecosystems
Hello web3 and education friends,
Welcome to all my new subscribers from this past week. If you haven’t subscribed yet, click here, or use the button below to join hundreds of others learning about the intersection of web3 and education.
In the rapidly evolving world of internet technology, it's valuable to have a basic understanding of the underlying structures that shape our digital landscape. From internet protocols to the metaverse, HTTP, and coding, these elements collectively form the foundation of our online experiences.
While comprehensive knowledge of all these aspects may not be necessary, especially for those focused on technology education, it is still important to stay aware of how the digital landscape is shifting. Having a general awareness of these developments can provide insights and help navigate this changing environment.
In this week's newsletter, I have a selection of resources that explore different facets of the future of the internet. I hope you enjoy exploring these topics, which include:
🌐 The difference between web3 and web 3.0
🛣️ A project about designing the future of the internet
🥽 Why the first go at building the metaverse failed
Web3 and Web 3.0 What’s the Diff?
Image Credit: Morocko/Shutterstock
I recently gained a deeper understanding of the distinction between web3 and web 3.0. Articles like this one from the Make Us Of newsletter are great primers on these concepts. This is a valuable introduction to these divergent concepts, which are increasingly shaping our internet experience.
Web 3.0, or the Semantic Web, embodies Tim Berners-Lee's vision of a connected and intelligent digital ecosystem where individuals exercise full control over their data. Conversely, Web3, coined by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, is a response to the dominance of tech giants, advocating for decentralization and leveraging blockchain technology to empower users. Level up your understanding of the future of the internet and check this one out.
The Internet Superhighway of the Future
Image Credit: OMA3
This article highlights the exciting announcement of a groundbreaking project called the Inter-World Portaling System (IWPS) by The Open Metaverse Alliance for Web3, or OMA3. Comprised of leading metaverse companies in Web3, OMA3's mission is to establish standards and infrastructure for a metaverse that is owned and controlled by its users. The IWPS project enables seamless travel between various metaverse platforms, including Alien Worlds, My Neighbor Alice, Sandbox, Space, Superworld, and Upland, through inter-world portals.
OMA3 views IWPS as the digital equivalent of the "super highway" that was envisioned during the early days of the internet. The consortium believes that IWPS has the potential to be a transformative development, comparable to the revolutionary impact of transportation networks and the HTTP standard on physical and digital connectivity. Familiarizing oneself with these innovations is crucial as they shape the key structural characteristics of our future internet experience.
The Metaverse (Still) Has Problems
A Metaverse soirée. (Getty)
This article presents a perspective on the first iteration of the metaverse. Was this ambitious virtual reality platform once heralded as a transformative technology a colossal failure? Despite grand promises and soaring valuations, this article argues that the metaverse has fell flat on its face. It struggled to attract users, generate substantial revenue, or live up to its ambitious goals.
What sets this article apart is its focused examination of how major architects and companies eagerly jumped on the bandwagon. It delves into the capital "M" Metaverse, as distinct from the more commonly known lowercase "m" metaverse. Does this serve as a stark reminder that not all tech trends are revolutionary, emphasizing the need for critical evaluation and scrutiny when embracing emerging technologies? Or is it simply a critique of one group of entrepreneurs' failure to iterate and address existing problems with an emerging technology? The article prompts reflection on these important questions.
Thank you for stopping by for another issue of my web3🤝education newsletter. If you’re on LinkedIn you can check out a version of this newsletter on my LinkedIn page and give me a follow. You can also link to all my work by checking out my blog or give me a follow on Twitter.