And, how would the average person make use of the Internet? Shall they setup a gopher server? SMTP...that's a good one for the average person, right? I mean, who doesn't understand how DKIM works and have the tools needed to use it?
The web is pervasive, secure-able by average users (and becoming moreso with Let's Encrypt), accessible in ways that no other Internet protocol is or ever has been, allows creation and participation by anyone of almost any technical ability or resources, it can be used anonymously, and, it has very low barriers to entry even if you do want to run your own site/server...much lower than any other Internet protocol.
I cannot think of a single piece of the Internet that is more open and free, for more people, than the web.
The web is pervasive, secure-able by average users (and becoming moreso with Let's Encrypt), accessible in ways that no other Internet protocol is or ever has been, allows creation and participation by anyone of almost any technical ability or resources, it can be used anonymously, and, it has very low barriers to entry even if you do want to run your own site/server...much lower than any other Internet protocol.
I cannot think of a single piece of the Internet that is more open and free, for more people, than the web.