Who is widely credited as the inventor of the World Wide Web (WWW)?

Introduction / Context:
The World Wide Web (WWW) is the system of interlinked hypertext documents that users access through web browsers. It sits on top of the Internet and has transformed how people share information. Knowing who proposed and built the first version of the web is an important part of computer and Internet history, and this is frequently tested in general knowledge and computer awareness exams. This question asks you to identify the person credited as the inventor of the World Wide Web.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is the invention of the World Wide Web, not the entire Internet.
• Options include Ray Tomlinson, Bill Gates, Charles Babbage, and Tim Berners-Lee.
• We assume the standard historical account as recognised by reputable sources.
• The focus is on who designed the web and developed the first web browser and server.

Concept / Approach:
Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist working at CERN, proposed the concept of a global hypertext system in the late 1980s. He developed the first web browser and web server and wrote the first version of the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and the HTTP protocol. For this work, he is widely regarded as the inventor of the World Wide Web. Ray Tomlinson is known for implementing email on the ARPANET and for choosing the @ symbol in email addresses. Bill Gates co founded Microsoft, which created many important software products but did not invent the web itself. Charles Babbage is often called the father of the computer for his early mechanical computing designs, not for web development. Therefore, Tim Berners-Lee is the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Distinguish between the Internet and the World Wide Web. The Internet is the global network of networks, while the web is a service that runs on top of the Internet using browsers and servers. Step 2: Recall who proposed the web at CERN. Tim Berners-Lee proposed a hypertext system to share information among researchers and built the first web server and browser. Step 3: Examine Ray Tomlinson. He is credited with inventing networked email and introducing the @ symbol in email addresses. Step 4: Examine Bill Gates. Bill Gates is known for Microsoft and operating systems like Windows, not for inventing the web. Step 5: Examine Charles Babbage. Charles Babbage designed early mechanical computers in the nineteenth century, long before the web. Step 6: Conclude that Tim Berners-Lee is the inventor of the World Wide Web.

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical summaries from organisations such as CERN and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) state that Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989 and implemented the first successful communication between a web client and server in 1990. They detail his development of HTML, HTTP, and the first browser. Biographical notes on Ray Tomlinson highlight his contribution to email. Microsoft histories list Bill Gates as co founder and discuss operating systems and office software, not the web's creation. References to Charles Babbage focus on the Analytical Engine and mechanical computation. This evidence confirms Tim Berners-Lee as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Ray Tomlinson): Known for inventing networked email, not the World Wide Web. Option B (Bill Gates): Co founder of Microsoft and influential in personal computing but not the inventor of the web. Option C (Charles Babbage): A pioneer of mechanical computing, not involved in modern Internet or web technologies.

Common Pitfalls:
Because many names are associated with computing history, students sometimes confuse who did what. They may associate Bill Gates with anything related to computers or think that the earliest computing pioneers like Charles Babbage were responsible for all later developments. Exam setters also include Ray Tomlinson to test whether students can distinguish between email and the web. To avoid mistakes, remember that Tim Berners-Lee is specifically linked with the invention of the World Wide Web, while others made different important contributions.

Final Answer:
The person widely credited as the inventor of the World Wide Web is Tim Berners-Lee.