All Together Now: Why We Need To Create Cooperation, Not Dependencies, In IT

When Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, his idea was to share documentation across systems and, thus, share knowledge. As the famous dictum goes, information wants to be free, as in openly shared, not necessarily free of charge. Today, the web as we know it has developed into a fantastic tool that lets us freely cooperate, collaborate and compete without regard for borders.

One can find similar notions in the free software movement and the geopolitical sphere. Take the experiment of the European Union, which has successfully fostered cooperation and prevented wars between neighboring countries for the past 70 years.

Today, technologies—especially those utilizing the internet—are moving further away from the initial idea of open competition and collaboration and are herding users into silos. It’s worth looking at the reasons for this trend and what’s at stake. Why are openness and cooperation crucial for a better future, and why should we avoid one-way dependencies? Find out on Forbes!