He penned a widely read paper in 1988, just a few months before the Morris Worm hit, recalling the priorities of the Internet's designers.
Assuring the security of private communications regardless of platform – email, VOIP, direct message – should be a top priority of the internet industry in the aftermath of Edward Snowden's revelations that US and UK governments are tapping into the net's traffic.
This is an important wake-up call for employers, many of whom still ponder whether and how to address the priorities of this significant Internet generation of 20- and 30-somethings.
That it took a personal tragedy to bring the debate back into the spotlight is an unsettling reminder of how far down on our list of priorities Internet policy has fallen.
Walmart first said it would make e-commerce a priority at the dawn of Internet retailing in 1999.
In July 2005, Chris Wilson, the Internet Explorer Platform Architect, stated that passing Acid2 was not a priority for Internet Explorer 7, describing the test as a "wish list" of features rather than a true test of standards compliance.
Coming in 14th out of 15 priorities was the Internet of Things, otherwise known as connecting everyday items to the internet.
Google, Yahoo and other Internet companies are worried about the ability of large cable and telephone companies to restrict certain types of Internet traffic, or to give priority service to some content providers over others, possibly for a fee.
Improving the ways in which customers can take advantage of Internet connectivity is his first priority.
His patriotism was not just a sign of an incipient superpower beginning to flex its muscles and define its cultural identity, but a glimpse into the clash of competing influences in the swirling changes in contemporary China: the battleground of the internet, the changing priorities of the educated urban middle class and the uneasy way in which China is positioning itself in the world.
