If you’re a fan of the Internet, it can be fun to look back at the websites that were popular in 1998. You’ll get a sense of how much things have changed.
In Blast from the Past, Brendan Fraser plays Adam Webber who has lived in an atomic shelter his entire life (built by his eccentric father) believing that the United States has been attacked by the Soviet Union and that he’s been locked in for 35 years.
The Birth of the Internet
Internet in 1998, the Internet was still in its infancy. Wireless networks and cellular devices hadn’t yet been introduced, laptops were still bulky, and media storage was still relying on analog tape or floppy disks.
But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Internet began to take shape into a new kind of communication system that would eventually allow us to communicate with our friends and families around the world. It also brought with it the idea of social media-web sites and web applications that let users interact online, as well as search engines like Google.
The first message to be sent across what was to become the Internet was “LO,” an attempt by Charles Kline to log in to his computer at Stanford University. He was only able to access one of the computers, but the connection was successful and Arpanet, or the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) was born. Originally funded by the U.S. military, it’s now one of the world’s most important inventions.
The Dot-Com Bubble
One of the most important events that impacted the Internet in 1998 was the dot-com bubble. This bubble was caused by a massive increase in technology companies that were fueled by the hype surrounding the internet.
It was also triggered by low interest rates that made it easier for investors to obtain funds. This increased the number of tech start-ups and encouraged venture capitalists to invest in them, resulting in an overinflated market.
Most of these tech startups were unable to achieve their goals, and many went bankrupt. As a result, the economy experienced a mild recession and a large portion of tech employees lost their jobs. This contributed to the dot-com bubble’s bursting. It also wiped out trillions of dollars in investment capital.
E-Commerce
The Internet is a virtual shopping mall where customers can buy anything they want, anywhere in the world. It doesn’t matter if you’re shopping for clothes, software solutions or sports equipment — you can find it all in one place without having to get up from your couch.
E-commerce has revolutionised the way we shop. It’s easy, secure and convenient.
It also allows us to access products at any time, day or night, and from any location. That’s why e-commerce has become such a large part of the business world today.
Despite its great potential, however, e-commerce still faces a number of challenges, including ensuring that people have the right technical skills to use it and that they are protected against online fraud. In addition, a variety of regulatory issues are hindering the development of e-commerce.
The Internet Archive
Founded in 1996, the Internet Archive (IA) collects and preserves all sorts of digital content. Its bots crawl the Web to capture images, audio clips, and video files as well as books, some dating back to the 1800s.
The IA provides access to its massive collection through the Wayback Machine, which lets users see how websites looked in the past. This allows researchers to better understand the evolution of the Internet.
It also preserves videos, music, and games. Unlike most libraries, which primarily focus on books, the Internet Archive collects a wide range of media types.
The Internet Archive also supports a safe harbor under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act 1998 (US). This has enabled it to offer services such as hosting user-generated content without being embroiled in lawsuits.
