Year by Year
Reviews of specific years in internet history.
-
What the Internet Was Like in 2003
Blogging goes mainstream in 2003; and with the launch of Google AdSense, pro blogs emerge too. Also the iTunes store debuts, social networks ramp up, and Flash websites are everywhere.
-
What the Internet Was Like in 2002
With Flash websites and CSS designs, the broadband-fueled 2002 internet is full of creativity. Meanwhile, online music is the wild west and the blogosphere points the way to a more social web.
-
What the Internet Was Like in 2001
Even in the middle of the dot-com bust in 2001, there are rays of hope: Wikipedia and the Wayback Machine launch, digital music turns legit with iTunes and the iPod, and blogging goes mainstream.
-
What the Internet Was Like in 2000
In 2000, Flash websites proliferate, blogging expands, social news sites like Slashdot gain influence — all of this while the dot-com bubble slowly deflates and Napster dominates headlines.
-
What the Internet Was Like in 1999
In 1999, Microsoft vanquishes Netscape in the browser war, Google starts to show up competing search engines, Blogger launches, and Napster loudly arrives to shake up our culture.
-
What the Internet Was Like in 1998
It's 1998, the middle of the dot-com boom. Portals are advertising on TV, web developers are fighting browser companies, Microsoft and Amazon are gaining power, and Netscape is going open source.
-
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.
-
What the Internet Was Like in 1996
In 1996, the internet becomes an integral part of society. Web portals are all the rage, e-commerce matures, web designers get new tools (like CSS and Flash), and web applications begin to appear.
