Senh Duong launches Rotten Tomatoes to help fans find reviews for Jackie Chan movies. It quickly becomes the definitive internet “Tomatometer” for film criticism. Part of the 17 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1998 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Bob Parsons founds Jomax Technologies, later renamed GoDaddy, simplifying the process of domain registration for small businesses. Part of the 18 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1997 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
The W3C begins work on ensuring the web is accessible to people with disabilities, a crucial step in making the internet a universal human resource. Part of the 17 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1996 Edition… Read More »The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Howard “Ward” Cunningham launches WikiWikiWeb, the first-ever wiki. This collaborative editing technology will later enable the creation of Wikipedia. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1995 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
A video of a World of Warcraft player charging recklessly into a dangerous dungeon while shouting his own name goes viral on video hubs and forums, defining gaming humor for a generation. Part of the… Read More »The Rise of “Leeroy Jenkins” Meme
Steve Coast founds a collaborative project to create a free, editable map of the world. It provides an open-source alternative to proprietary geographic data infrastructure. Part of the 18 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2004 Edition… Read More »The Creation of OpenStreetMap
This year proved that infrastructure was ready for user-generated expansion. By deploying easy publishing pipelines and legal media storefronts, 2003 handed the steering wheel of the web directly to its users. Part of the 16… Read More »The Year of the Creator Blueprint
This year proved that the post-crash internet belonged to human interaction. By shifting from corporate storefronts to community spaces, 2002 designed the modern social web. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2002 Edition… Read More »The Year of the Social Blueprint
This year proved that infrastructure survives economic winter. By replacing speculative hype with decentralized networks and open knowledge, 2001 built the modern web. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2001 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
A new platform allows users to post their own travel reviews. It marks the shift toward “user-generated content” (UGC) as a trusted source of information over professional guides. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts:… Read More »The Launch of TripAdvisor