Tim Robert Ted

From left to right, the picture depicts Tim Berners-Lee, Robert Cailliau and Ted Nelson. Tim and Ted are clearly talking behind Robert's back, but Robert doesn't seem to mind. Maybe because he had just presented his latest theory about religion in Europe, and -- given that scale -- even hypertext theories fall short.

Robert's non-virtual beer and Perrier can easily be spotted. Sparkling water is obviously not among the goods Japan produces and must be brought in from the other side of the planet. The same appears to be the case for founding fathers of hypertext. On the other hand, Japan produces Tamagochis and Robert bought four in Akihabara before dinner.

The picture was teken by me in June 97 in the top-floor restaurant of Hotel Shingawa Prince in Tokyo. The table had just finished a "Hokkaido wedding dinner" when this amazing scene revealed itself in front of me. Thankfully there was one last picture left in my "film with lens".