Web3 Philosophy: From Personal Computers to Global Supercomputers

The roots of Web3 can be traced back to the birth of personal computers, rather than the rise of Bitcoin or the internet. This concept was initially proposed by Gavin Wood during his tenure as CTO of Ethereum, and its core is "personal technology" - empowering individuals to autonomously control their privacy and assets, allowing people to shape their lives according to their own wishes. This idea continues the personal computing philosophy that has existed since the 1960s.

Although people often associate Web3 with the evolution of the internet or the cryptocurrency revolution, these perspectives do not touch upon its deeper spiritual core. In fact, what people understand as "Web3" today may just be the tip of the iceberg.

The core philosophy of Web3 originates from the rise of personal computers in the late 1960s. Its essence is to return technological dominance to individuals - allowing users to create and manage accounts and wallets ( self-sovereignty ), enabling interactions with strangers without trust ( verifiability ), and allowing individuals to freely participate in network governance ( permissionless ).

Web3 aims to help people master technology rather than be controlled by it, enabling individuals to think independently and live autonomously. This value aligns closely with the philosophy that accompanied the birth of personal computers, echoing the countercultural movements of the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, and subsequently integrating the open-source movement and the spirit of the Internet.

Long before the term "Web3" was officially proposed, many pioneers in the tech world were exploring similar ideas for the future. In an era when computers were expensive and not yet widespread, they believed that technology should serve individual freedom. Steve Jobs was one of the most representative figures among them.

Steve Jobs' teenage years were in the 1960s, a time full of turmoil and idealism. After experiencing the post-war economic boom of the 1950s, American society became increasingly standardized, leaving many young people feeling disillusioned and rebellious against the lives dominated by large corporations and mainstream media.

Against this backdrop, an independent magazine called "The Whole Earth Catalog" became a sensation among the youth, with Steve Jobs himself being deeply influenced. The magazine, with the slogan "Access to Tools," is dedicated to introducing readers to various tools that can help individuals think independently and take control of their destinies.

Entering the 1970s, the path to the popularization of personal computers became increasingly clear. Some organizations began to warn the earliest hackers: if technology is abused, it may become a tool for controlling people. They called for computers to be used to unleash human potential, rather than to control people.

It was under this guiding spirit that Jobs participated in early hacker gatherings and co-founded Apple Inc. with Wozniak. The slogan of their first product, Apple I, reflected the idea of emphasizing individual power and advocating for technological freedom, concepts that later evolved into the core principles of open-source philosophy.

Eight years later, Jobs launched the Macintosh, which fundamentally changed the public's perception of computers. He positioned Apple as the "liberation spark" in the personal computing field, hoping to turn computers into tools that empower individuals, rather than "large, centralized machines controlled by only a few."

Entering the 1980s, open source technology began to take root, and the "free software movement" emerged. The representative figure Richard Stallman firmly believes that software should empower users with the most fundamental freedoms and control. He proposed from an ethical perspective: technological freedom is related to individual freedom.

During the same period, hacker culture gradually became systematized into "hacker ethics," emphasizing ideals such as information freedom, decentralization, and pragmatism, serving as a spiritual lighthouse for countless developers and technological idealists.

In the 1990s, as the internet entered the public eye, government panic over cybercrime escalated, leading to the emergence of various organizations dedicated to defending freedom of speech and user rights in the digital age. At the same time, the "Cypherpunk movement" arose, emphasizing the central importance of digital privacy in an open society. These ideas drove the development of cryptography and ultimately led people to the birth of Bitcoin.

The concept of a "decentralized currency system" in Bitcoin offers a real alternative for hackers, Cypherpunks, and libertarians who are disillusioned with the financial system. Subsequently, the emergence of Ethereum expanded blockchain technology from a single currency use to a general computing platform.

It was during the early days of the Ethereum project that Gavin Wood first systematically proposed the concept of "Web3". This is not just the birth of a new term, but a vision for a completely new social infrastructure: when technology, social awareness, and historical opportunity align, we can finally build a new world that is trustless, intermediary-free, and centered around the individual.

From Ethereum to Polkadot, and now to the new projects currently being promoted, each one starts from a long-term perspective, rooted in the core value of "freedom" - which is also the essence of personal computers and Web3.

If the personal computer revolution led by Steve Jobs was to create hardware terminals that are "user-friendly" for the masses, then the Web3 philosophy advocated by Gavin Wood and his peers is about building a "programmable by everyone" Supercomputer for this world.

From Apple I to iPhone, the evolution of personal computers took decades. Today, we stand at the threshold of another era: a "global Supercomputer" based on Web3, born for everyone, is taking shape.

What kind of future will this bring? We cannot summarize it in one word. But one thing is certain: no matter how the story ultimately unfolds, there will always be a group of people behind it. They cross the boundaries of technology, systems, and culture, all in order to achieve a common vision - to build a truly human-centered digital world that empowers individuals with the greatest freedom and creativity.