What is the "Matrix"?

The term pays homage to William Gibson's 1984 science fiction classic, Neuromancer. Most of the action in the novel takes place on the "Matrix," a network of giant databases through which the main character (Case) navigates in order to learn information, help his friends and confound his enemies. The "Matrix," as Gibson paints it, is a futuristic vision of what the Internet may someday be (though we still have a long way to go). It is also this book that is credited with coining the term "cyberspace."

I cannot claim to be much of a science fiction buff, but I greatly enjoyed Neuromancer (as perhaps you guessed by now). Other readers also approved. The book won the top three prizes in the science fiction: the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick awards (a rare achievement). Several of Gibson's follow up novels also revisited the "Matrix:" Count Zero (1986), Mona Lisa Overdrive (1988) and a collection of short stories, Burning Chrome (1986), which includes "Johnny Mnemonic" (a story that is much better than the 1995 movie that was based on it).

By the way, for you fans of the more recent movies "The Matrix" and "Matrix Reloaded," sorry – this web site (which launched in 1997) has nothing to do with those movies.