World’s first-ever web browser code to be sold as an NFT

Sir Tim Berners-Lee is one of the architects of the original web browser. NFT, short for Non-Fungible Tokens is a unique ownership certification of mostly digital items. Sir Tim had always refused to patent his original invention. The auction for the web browser code will run from June 23 until June 30 and, the bidding will start at $1000.

New NFT: Web browser code

Sotheby’s an NFT marketplace is auctioning a collection of four items as a single NFT. This special collection includes “the original time-stamped files” of the source code written for the web browser project, a letter from Sir Tim about its making, the code’s animated visualization and, a digital poster of the code. It makes up all most 10,000 lines of code.

The dark side of NFTs

Sotheby’s auction house claims that the carbon footprint of this particular NFT is negligible. It is because it will pay for a carbon offset of transaction costs of the sale and mining of the NFT. This is made possible through the blockchain which is contrary to others has immense day-to-day maintenance costs.

Why an NFT?

You’re probably wondering why Sir Tim made the NFT now. “Why an NFT? Well, it’s a natural thing to do as when you’re a computer scientist and when you write code and have been for many years,” said Sir Tim in the press material provided by Sotheby’s.

“It feels right to digitally sign my autograph on a completely digital artifact. NFTs, be they artworks or a digital artifact like this, are the latest playful creations in this realm, and the most appropriate means of ownership that exists. They are the ideal way to package the origins behind the web,” he added.