What people in history do you believe would have utilised the internet for the greater purpose,if they had access to that technology at the time?

All of those renowned for intellect. Those into witch burning etc., might waste some time trying find a way to light it. It is a valuable tool, few scientists, researchers, academics or writers would fail to appreciate it. The Church would damn it.

Marx, I don’t doubt, to mobilise the workers.

The Christian church would have used it to further proselytize. But then again, the enlightned humans would have used it to more anonymously defy their teachings.

Benjamin Franklin.

Jesus, i am sure, would have put a video of his waterwalking on Youtube.

The first thing that comes to mind how it would have affected the original thought of so many great minds that have come before it’s invention. Just look at all the geniuses on the internet these days that cut and paste to convey their opinions on matters great and small. Original critical thought is now an endangered species.

i have to agree with @DarkScribe here, however i think that people like hitler would have also been quite fond of it, all be it used in a more controlled manner.

if i had to give a single name, and could pick any time in history, i would roll with socrates. as for how beneficial and great it would actually be i dont know, but i suspect that considering how far back we would be making the change, that the cumulative effect would probably have the greatest impact on humanities path.

Adolf Hitler. We would all be cooking gypsies and speaking German now if he had.

@poisonedantidote , i would roll with socrates.

Socrates would be “Wicki”.

@rebbel His rising from the dead would have more hits i’m guessing.

@ucme
Don’t be silly….., rising from the dead…

@DarkScribe not sure on the guidelines on fluther regarding this, if it should be more suited for the chat room or not, but that really makes me want to ask: “what historical characters would be what websites in modern time” or “what style of website would you favorite historical person be”

i wonder what site hitler would be, im tempted to say the fox news site or something of that nature, but realize how insulting of a comparison that would be (to the people in the war, not fox) ... so ill just put it down here as an afterthought

The Roman’s would be surfing for porn rather than having orgies…

@rebbel The shit they pull.Actually wasn’t Jesus run over by a bus a while back.Watched that a few times.

I agree The sick tit with the tiny tache would have had a hard on for the internet.The mind boggles.

A web site could stream the original Olympic Games. We could have on-line gambling betting on Roman Chariot races.

It wouldn’t really be much different – would it?

I’d have big bucks on Ben Hur winning that one.

Cavemen could have made their grunts heard around the world with Twitter.

Caveman would have learned how to start a fire much sooner.

Also, the invention of the wheel. no, wait a minute. this will not do. now, we have to answer the question of which came first…....the caveman or the wheel? (chicken or the egg?)

@john65pennington Um, the caveman… since he invented the wheel?

History and time itself would freeze.

Everyone sitting home, wasting time, instead of getting out and making a real difference.

Paul Revere would warn of the British coming from his own home.

Pheidippides would tell the Greeks of victory without running all those miles.

Galileo would spread his heresy.

Einstein would have all the great answers on Fluther and be the first to 50k.

We would never have been surprised at Pearl Harbor!

Precisely,the greater benefit to me would have undoubtedly been in the military.Wonder how many battles would have consequently changed the shape of any given war,both strategically & psychologically.

Giordano Bruno. I’m sure he would have contacted Amnesty International.