Internet History
Ongoing coverage on Internet History.
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Before Google took over, search was a wide-open experiment
Before Google's dominance, the internet search landscape was a diverse experiment with various methods like Yahoo's human-curated directories, webrings, and early search engines like AltaVista, Lycos, and Ask Jeeves. These systems prioritized different aspects such as breadth, speed, or conversational queries, and faced challenges with scaling and manipulation before Google's PageRank algorithm and user-friendly interface established a new standard for relevance and usability.
Conceived in a secure military facility, this Jedi Knight fansite has been running consistently for almost 30 years: 'It looks really close to what it did back in 1998'
The Massassi Temple, a fan website dedicated to Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, has been continuously operating since 1998, making it one of the internet's longest-running gaming communities. Founded by Brian E. Lozier, the site began as a hub for tutorials and has evolved into a comprehensive archive of mods and multiplayer maps, supported by a dedicated community. Despite the decline of many early gaming websites and the shift towards larger platforms, The Massassi Temple persists, with Lozier now focusing on preserving its extensive community creations.
Flash is Dead, Long Live the Web Arcade: Preserving Casual Gaming History
The article discusses the historical significance of Flash games as a gateway to gaming culture and the challenges posed by Flash's discontinuation. It highlights preservation efforts like the Flashpoint Archive and the evolution of web arcades using HTML5 and WebGL, emphasizing how casual game design philosophies continue to influence the modern gaming industry.
