The year was 1991 and near the end of the Gulf War crisis, the High Performance Computing and Communication Act of 1991, one of several computing developments initiated by then U.S. Senator Al Gore launched the existence of the notorious Information Superhighway.
Almost twenty years later, Al Gore and his wife Tipper separate, after 40 years of marriage.
This unfortunate, personal event has triggered the release of documents showing that it was Al Gore’s wife, Tipper, who actually coined the term “Information Superhighway” – not the former vice president and Nobel Prize winner.
According to the divorce papers filed in Massachusetts, there are several notes containing statements from that pre-Internet era, from which we quote:
“Al Darling, I know you won’t go to sleep without having a name for that brand new computer what’s-am-I-callit project of yours so here are some suggestions, dear: Fast Data Lane, Lightning Network, Information Superhighway and Super Fast Access. I hope for the sake of both of us you pick one for your Senate speech tomorrow; don’t forget Sarah has soccer practice tomorrow afternoon, please plan to be there. Love always, Tipper.”
It is unfortunate that Al Gore and his wife of 40 years are divorcing; this unfortunate situation at least clarifies the ever-hanging question about who invented Information Superhighway and essentially the Internet. It’s clear now that Tipper Gore – famous for her motion to tag with profanity warning labels the entire music industry – is in fact the Mother of the Internet.
Al actually invented the wheel, but chose not to take credit for it.
Behind every great man…there’s a great woman or something like that!!
George W. Bush is still the father of the “Internets” 😀