Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Technology

44 Bezos, Jeffrey P.use if it is to be a truly interactive, open-ended knowledgesystem. He is also interested in developing software thatcan take better advantage of the rich variety of informationon the Web, creating a “semantic” Web of meaningful connectionsthat would allow for logical analysis and permithuman beings and machines not merely to connect, but toactively collaborate (see semantic Web and xml).In the debate over a possible tiered Internet service (seeInternet access policy) Berners-Lee has spoken out for“net neutrality,” the idea that priority given to materialpassing over the Internet should not depend on its contentor origin. He describes equal treatment to be a fundamentaldemocratic principle, given the primacy of the Net today.Berners-Lee has garnered numerous awards and honorarydegrees. In 1997 he was made an Officer of the BritishEmpire, and in 2001 he became a Fellow of the British RoyalSociety. Berners-Lee also received the Japan Prize in 2002and in that same year shared the Asturias Award with fellowInternet pioneers Lawrence Roberts, Robert Kahn, andVinton Cerf. In 2007 Berners-Lee received the Charles StarkDraper Prize of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering.Further ReadingBerners-Lee, Tim. Home page with biography and links: Availableonline. URL: http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/.Accessed April 20, 2007.———. Papers on Web design issues. Available online. URL:http://www.w3.org/DesignIssues/.———. “Proposal for the World Wide Web, 1989.” Availableonline. URL: http://www.w3.org/History/1989/proposal.html.Berners-Lee, Tim, and Mark Fischetti. Weaving the Web. San Francisco:HarperSanFrancisco, 1999.Henderson, Harry. Pioneers of the Internet. San Diego, Calif.:Lucent Books, 2002.Markoff, John. “ ‘Neutrality’ Is New Challenge for Internet Pioneer.”New York Times, September 27, 2006. Available online. URL:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/technology/circuits/27neut.html. Accessed April 25, 2007.Bezos, Jeffrey P.(1964– )AmericanEntrepreneurWith its ability to display extensive information and interactwith users, the World Wide Web of the mid-1990s clearlyhad commercial possibilities. But it was far from clear howtraditional merchandising could be adapted to the onlineworld, and how the strengths of the new medium could betranslated into business advantages. In creating Amazon.com, “the world’s largest bookstore,” Jeff Bezos would showhow the Web could be used to deliver books and other merchandiseto millions of consumers.Jeff Bezos was born on January 12, 1964, and grew upin Miami, Florida. He would be remembered as an intense,strong-willed boy who was fascinated by gadgets but alsoliked to play football and other sports. His uncle, PrestonGise, a manager for the Atomic Energy Commission,encouraged young Bezos’s interest in technology by givinghim electronic equipment to dismantle and explore. BezosJeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, poses for a portraitin the Internet retailer’s distribution center. (© Jack Kurtz/TheImage Works)also liked science fiction and became an enthusiastic advocatefor space colonization.Bezos entered Princeton University in 1982. At first hemajored in physics, but later switched to electrical engineering,graduating in 1986 with highest honors. By thenBezos had become interested in business software applications,particularly financial networks. At the age of only23, he led a project at Fitel, a financial communicationsnetwork, managing 12 programmers and commuting eachweek between the company’s New York and London offices.As a vice president at Bankers Trust, a major Wall Streetfirm in the late 1980s, Bezos became very enthusiastic aboutthe use of computer networking and interactive software forproviding timely information for managers and investors.However, he found that the “old line” Wall Street firmsresisted his efforts and declined to invest in these new usesof information technology.In 1990, however, Bezos was working at the D.E. ShawCompany and his employer asked him to research the commercialpotential of the Internet, which was starting to grow(even though the World Wide Web would not reach mostconsumers for another five years). Bezos ranked the top 20possible products for Internet sales. They included computersoftware, office supplies, clothing, music—and books.Analyzing the publishing industry, Bezos identifiedways in which he believed it was inefficient. Even largebookstores could stock only a small portion of the availabletitles, while on the other hand many books that werein stock stayed on the shelves for months, tying up moneyand space. Bezos believed that by combining a single hugewarehouse with an extensive tracking database, an onlineordering system, and fast shipping, he could satisfy manymore customers while keeping costs low.Bezos pitched his idea to D.E. Shaw. When the companydeclined to invest in the venture, Bezos decided to put hispromising corporate career on hold and start his own onlinebusiness. By then it was the mid-1990s and the World WideWeb was just starting to become popular, thanks to the newgraphical Web browsers such as Netscape.