The Digital Millennium Copyright Act is signed into law in the US. It becomes the legal foundation for how copyright is enforced online, creating the “notice and takedown” system still used by platforms like YouTube today. Part… Read More »The DMCA is Passed
The first version of the 802.11 wireless networking standard is released. This invisible revolution will eventually untether the internet from the desktop and enable the mobile era. Part of the 18 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1997 Edition… Read More »The Birth of Wi-Fi (802.11)
FutureWave releases FutureSplash Animator, which is quickly acquired by Macromedia and renamed Flash. It enables high-quality vector animations and interactivity on low-bandwidth connections. Part of the 17 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1996 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Craig Newmark starts an email distribution list for local events in San Francisco. It evolves into Craigslist, a simple, text-based site that will eventually decimate the classified ads business of traditional newspapers. Part of the 16… Read More »The Launch of Craigslist
The National Retail Federation coins the term to describe the massive surge in online shopping on the Monday following Thanksgiving, formalizing the internet’s role in holiday retail commerce. Part of the 20 Internet Evolution Facts:… Read More »The Launch of Cyber Monday
Google holds its initial public offering (IPO) on August 19, raising $1.67 billion at a market value of $23 billion. The event signals the complete economic recovery of the tech sector post-dot-com crash. Part of… Read More »Google Goes Public
Red Hat shifts its focus to enterprise software and sponsors a community-supported open-source distribution. It becomes a critical testing ground for modern server tech. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2003 Edition archive.… Read More »The Release of Fedora Linux
A new music website introduces user “scrobbling” to track listening habits. It creates automated, highly personalized radio stations based on user taste. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2002 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Dries Buytaert releases an open-source content management framework. It empowers developers to build complex, community-driven web applications. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2001 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
While dial-up is still common, 2000 marks a massive surge in DSL and Cable Internet adoption in the US. The “always-on” connection changes how users interact with the web, moving away from “logging on” to simply being… Read More »Broadband Overtakes Dial-Up (Growth)