The web is 30 years old today

I can't see anything on the linked page to suggest that the web was "born" 30 years ago today (i.e. 20 December 1990). On the contrary, it says it was invented in 1989.

Wikipedia[1] lists the official release date of the first web browser, WorldWideWeb, as 25 December 1990. Tim Berners-Lee has said that the first version was "whimsically dated 901225 although I was NOT working on Christmas Day -- it was prepared some time before closed for Christmas"[2] - so maybe that works out to 30 years ago today?

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldWideWeb

2: https://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/WorldWideWeb.html

Re: The web is 30 years old today

#4

Post by est » Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 2:32 PM UTC

I remember decades ago when I first dialed up to the Internet. Went for the good knowledge on telnet bbs and usenet, stayed for the memes on www.

Re: The web is 30 years old today

#5

Post by BillyTheKing » Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 2:33 PM UTC

I find it fascinating that the web changed just about every industry out there, apart from the one it set out to change - academic publishing.. It's still an oligopoly, with the same, small number of players acting as gatekeepers

Re: The web is 30 years old today

#6

Post by macintux » Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 2:46 PM UTC

est wrote: post #4

I remember decades ago when I first dialed up to the Internet. Went for the good knowledge on telnet bbs and usenet, stayed for the memes on www.

All I particularly remember from Usenet: jms interacting with Babylon 5 fans, and Serdar Argic's ongoing efforts to invert the history of the Armenian genocide.

Re: The web is 30 years old today

#7

Post by bsenftner » Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 2:46 PM UTC

BillyTheKing wrote: post #5

I find it fascinating that the web changed just about every industry out there, apart from the one it set out to change - academic publishing.. It's still an oligopoly, with the same, small number of players acting as gatekeepers

So, in a perverse view, the web is civilization's largest, most epic failure: it altered our entire civilization, yet left the one aspect it was intended to change alone.

Re: The web is 30 years old today

#8

Post by ghaff » Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 2:48 PM UTC

codeulike wrote: post #2

Is it as young as that? I'm surprised. One of the earliest web sites I can remember is this one: "The Really Big Button That Doesn't Do Anything" http://stefangagne.com/spatulacity/button.htm I think I was led there via "Yahoo Cool Site Of The Day" All the comments are still there! I remember laughing at the "stereo fell off the bureau" one. A comment I left there in 1994 is still there.

>Is it as young as that? I'm surprised.

And, really, 30 years overstates it. You need another 5 years before all the pieces came together to make something that really looks like the modern web and maybe even a couple more before it really started having an effect on even tech-savvy audiences.

Re: The web is 30 years old today

#9

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 2:53 PM UTC

tobr wrote: post #3

I can't see anything on the linked page to suggest that the web was "born" 30 years ago today (i.e. 20 December 1990). On the contrary, it says it was invented in 1989. Wikipedia[1] lists the official release date of the first web browser, WorldWideWeb, as 25 December 1990. Tim Berners-Lee has said that the first version was "whimsically dated 901225 although I was NOT working on Christmas Day -- it was prepared some…

[deleted]

Re: The web is 30 years old today

#10

Post by dannyw » Sun, Dec 20, 2020, 2:55 PM UTC

I still find the web to be so beautiful.

I can talk and meet people all around the world.

I can stream hundreds of videos around every conceivable topic, in 4K60 resolution, on-demand.

I can make a livelihood without ever stepping feet out of my home; and conversely, work from almost anywhere that'll give me a visa.

The digitized information of our civilization is just one search away.