The Origin and Evolution of Web3 Philosophy: From Personal Computing to Decentralization Network

The birth of the personal computer marked the emergence of the Web3 concept. This concept emphasizes empowering individuals with the ability to control their privacy and assets, allowing people to shape their lives according to their own will. This idea can be traced back to the personal computing philosophy of the 1960s.

The core spirit of Web3 originates from the rise of personal computers in the late 1960s. It aims to return technological dominance to individuals, enabling users to autonomously create and manage accounts and wallets, interact with others without the need for trust, and freely participate in network governance. Web3 does not control people with technology; rather, it helps individuals master technology, achieving independent thinking and autonomous living.

This concept coincides with the countercultural movements of the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, and subsequently integrated with the open-source movement and the spirit of the internet. Long before the term "Web3" was officially proposed, many pioneers in the tech community were exploring the future with similar ideas.

In the 1960s, American society experienced increasing standardization after the post-war economic boom, leading to disappointment and resistance among young people towards mainstream life. Against this backdrop, the magazine "Whole Earth Catalog" emerged, gaining popularity among youth including Steve Jobs. The publication, with the slogan "tools to get you" aimed to introduce various tools that help individuals think independently and take control of their destiny.

As the 1970s began, personal computers started to become popular. Organizations like "People's Computer Company" warned the earliest group of hackers: if the technology is abused, it could become a tool for control. Guided by this spirit, Jobs participated in the founding of the "Homebrew Computer Club" and co-founded Apple Inc. with Wozniak.

In the 1980s, open-source technology began to emerge, and the "free software movement" rose. Richard Stallman and others advocated that software should grant users fundamental freedoms and control. At the same time, "hacker ethics" was systematized into a unique ideological system, emphasizing concepts such as information freedom and Decentralization.

In the 1990s, with the popularization of the internet, the government's concerns about cybercrime intensified. The Electronic Frontier Foundation was established to defend freedom of speech and user rights in the digital age. At the same time, the "Cypherpunk Manifesto" was published, emphasizing the central role of digital privacy in an open society.

In 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto released the "Bitcoin Whitepaper", marking the official start of a technological revolution driven by cryptographic ideas. In 2013, Vitalik Buterin proposed the idea of expanding blockchain technology from a single currency use case to a general-purpose computing platform, which gave rise to the Ethereum project.

In the early days of Ethereum, Gavin Wood was a core developer involved in it. He systematically proposed the concept of "Web3" in 2014, envisioning a new social infrastructure that is trustless, decentralized, and centered around individuals.

From personal computers to Web3, the evolution of technology has always revolved around the core value of "freedom." If the personal computer revolution led by Jobs created hardware terminals that are "accessible to everyone," then the Web3 philosophy advocated by Wood and others aims to build a "programmable by everyone" global supercomputer.

Regardless of how the future develops, there will always be a group of people who cross technological, institutional, and cultural boundaries in pursuit of a common vision: to build a truly human-centered digital world that empowers individuals with the greatest freedom and creativity. This is at the core of the Web3 philosophy.