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
The Portable Network Graphics (PNG) 1.0 specification is released as a patent-free alternative to the GIF, improving web image quality. Part of the 18 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1997 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
The “Under Construction” banner and dancing torches become ubiquitous on personal homepages (GeoCities), defining the visual aesthetic of the 90s web. Part of the 17 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1996 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Brendan Eich at Netscape develops “LiveScript” in just 10 days, later renamed JavaScript. It becomes the essential language for making web pages interactive. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1995 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
A French video-sharing website launches just weeks after YouTube, emphasizing localized European content and creative independent video hosting. Part of the 20 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2005 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified