The Stack Overflow Podcast How the internet changed in 2024
Jan 24, 2025
John Graham Cumming, the CTO of Cloudflare, shares his expertise on the evolving internet landscape in 2024. He highlights key findings from Cloudflare's State of the Internet report, including seasonal usage trends and security challenges like post-quantum encryption. The discussion dives into nostalgia for 8-bit programming and the creativity it fostered. John also covers the impact of Starlink on rural connectivity and the growing role of AI in shaping internet traffic and user anonymity. Expect insights that connect the past with the future of the digital world.
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8-Bit Era Origins
- John Graham Cumming's interest in software started with 8-bit computers in the UK during the 80s.
- He was fascinated by the 8-bit era and the government's computer literacy project.
Knowable Computers
- Modern computers are too complex for any individual to fully understand, unlike the knowable 8-bit systems.
- The 8-bit era allowed for full comprehension of the computer's workings.
Cloudflare's Internet Report
- Cloudflare's yearly internet activity report uses anonymized data from its vast network.
- This data includes website traffic, DNS activity, and protocol trends, offering insights into global internet behavior.