Dot-com
Internet history during the dot-com era, from the 1990s through to the first few years of the 2000s.
Note: some of these articles were migrated from my previous website, Web Development History (WDH), which was active during 2021. Check the timeline for a chronological list of WDH posts.
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Search Engines in 1998, Before Google Takes the Spotlight
Google makes the transition from Stanford project to company over 1998, but it is portals like Yahoo! and portal-wannabes like AltaVista that feature in Danny Sullivan's Search Engine Watch this year.
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1998: How Amazon Conquered Online CD Retailers Like CDnow
At the start of 1998, CDnow and Music Boulevard are the leading online CD shops. Then in June, Amazon branches out from books and begins to sell music on its fast growing e-commerce website.
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Launch of BowieNet and the First Inklings of Social Networks
When BowieNet launches in 1998, it becomes the default online community for David Bowie fans. It also anticipates the social networks that will emerge in the 2000s, like Facebook and Reddit.
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Portals in 1998: The Rise and Fall of Excite and Netcenter
1998 is the year of the portal: Excite, Netscape Netcenter, Yahoo, AOL, MSN and others all competing for eyeballs and trying to be sticky. But with so many portals, some will inevitably fail.
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What the Internet Was Like in 1997
In 1997, the first browser war begins amid new internet trends like 'push' and DHTML. Meanwhile, instant messaging apps like ICQ and AIM become popular and GeoCities achieves 1 million users.
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Best Experienced With: MTV.com and the 90s Browser War
MTV's website in 1997 is a hodgepodge of technologies: Java, JavaScript, frames and more. The quality of your user experience depends on which browser you use: Netscape or IE.
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The 3 Gurus of 90s Web Design: Zeldman, Siegel, Nielsen
With the rise of Flash and CSS in 1997, three web design philosophies emerge. David Siegel advocates for 'hacks', Jakob Nielsen keeps it simple, while Jeffrey Zeldman combines flair with usability.
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The Age of Buffering: Video Streaming and Webcasts in 1997
During 1997, video streaming comes to web browsers through plug-ins like RealVideo, VDOLive and Microsoft's NetShow. David Bowie even attempts to 'cybercast' one of his concerts this year.
