# Cybercultural

> Internet history and its impact on our culture. Written by Richard MacManus, who founded and edited ReadWriteWeb from 2003 to 2012. The site covers the internet from the pre-web era through the dot-com years, Web 2.0 and after, in 217 articles.

Every article is also published as plain markdown at its own URL plus `index.md` — for example https://cybercultural.com/p/1995-web-design/index.md. This file is generated from the site's content at each build, so it does not go stale.

## Start here

- [Cybercultural home](https://cybercultural.com/): the site's front page, with the latest articles.
- [About](https://cybercultural.com/about/): who Richard MacManus is and why this site exists.
- [Explore internet history](https://cybercultural.com/internet-history/): the archive organised by era.
- [On this day in internet history](https://cybercultural.com/on-this-day/): what happened on today's date.
- [Subscribe](https://cybercultural.com/subscribe/): free email subscription.

## Eras

- [Pre-web](https://cybercultural.com/preweb/): the 1960s to the 1980s, before the web existed (4 articles).
- [Web 1.0](https://cybercultural.com/web1/): 1990 to 2003, the birth of the web through to the dot-com boom and bust (73 articles).
- [Web 2.0](https://cybercultural.com/web20/): 2004 to 2012, blogging, social media and the read/write web (112 articles).
- [Platforms](https://cybercultural.com/platforms/): about 2013 to 2021, when smartphone and social media platforms took control of the internet (19 articles).

## Year-by-year overviews

One article per year summarising what the internet was like that year.

- [What the Internet Was Like in 1994](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1994/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1995](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1995/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1996](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1996/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1997](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1997/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1998](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1998/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1999](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1999/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2000](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2000/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2001](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2001/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2002](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2002/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2003](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2003/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2004](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2004/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2005](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2005/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2006](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2006/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2007](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2007/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2008](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2008/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2009](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2009/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2010](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2010/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2011](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2011/)
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2012](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2012/)

## Collections

- [Memoir](https://cybercultural.com/memoir/): Richard MacManus's first-hand account of building ReadWriteWeb (71 chapters).
- [ReadWriteWeb archive](https://cybercultural.com/rww/): republished articles he wrote for ReadWriteWeb, 2003-2012 (24 articles).
- [Web development history](https://cybercultural.com/wdh/timeline/): a timeline of how web development evolved.
- [Notes](https://cybercultural.com/notes/): shorter personal and site posts (9).

## All articles

Newest first. Each link also has a markdown copy at the same URL plus `index.md`.

- [1995: From Batman Forever’s cinematic design to HTML tables](https://cybercultural.com/p/1995-web-design/): 1995 begins with web designers creating cinematic experiences using images and browser tricks, and ends with the arrival of table support in Netscape Navigator — giving true control over layout.
- [1994: Cool Site of the Day and the rise of curated web design](https://cybercultural.com/p/1994-cool-site-of-the-day/): Although the Web is technically limited in 1994, it is a fast-growing network and so curation quickly becomes a design problem. Enter Glenn Davis and his website, Cool Site of the Day.
- [1994: Publishing comes to the Web — and design matters](https://cybercultural.com/p/1994-web-design/): 1994 marks the Web’s shift into a publishing medium. As site authors seek control over formatting and design, the WWW-Talk mailing list hosts an early debate over style sheets and presentation.
- [1993: Global Network Navigator and the first web designer](https://cybercultural.com/p/1993-global-network-navigator/): It's difficult to apply design to a website in 1993, but that doesn't stop O'Reilly & Associates from launching an 'online magazine' called GNN. Suddenly Jennifer Niederst, a book designer, has a new career.
- [1993: Web browsers add multimedia and MTV.com goes online](https://cybercultural.com/p/1993-mtv-internet/): Mosaic adds an image tag to HTML and becomes the first modern web browser in 1993. Soon after, MTV VJ Adam Curry builds one of the world's first commercial websites — not that his bosses care.
- [After BowieNet, David Bowie Goes Dark and Shuns Social Media](https://cybercultural.com/p/bowienet-2004-2016/): From 2004, BowieNet enters a long period of stasis. When David Bowie unexpectedly returns with a new album in 2013, his website is reactivated — but he declines to join social media.
- [2003: MP3 Blogs and Pitchfork Shake Up Music Media](https://cybercultural.com/p/mp3-blogs-2003/): Online music and blogging were two key trends in the first decade of digital culture. In 2003, they combine in the form of MP3 blogs. Together with Pitchfork, they revolutionize music journalism.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2003](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2003/): Blogging goes mainstream in 2003; and with the launch of Google AdSense, pro blogs emerge too. Also the iTunes store debuts, social networks ramp up, and Flash websites are everywhere.
- [My 2025 Indie Web Report and Thoughts on the Open Web](https://cybercultural.com/p/indie-web-report-2025/): How my independent website, Cybercultural, has fared during 2025 — a year when AI summaries whittled away search referral traffic and social media continued its war against hyperlinks.
- [The Blogosphere Blossoms in 2003 As RSS Readers Catch On](https://cybercultural.com/p/blogosphere-2003/): In 2003, the read/write web becomes a reality when blog software enables anyone to write to the web. Meanwhile, RSS Readers like NetNewsWire and Bloglines bring distribution to the blogosphere.
- [2003: BowieNet 3 Launch and the Peak of Flash Web Design](https://cybercultural.com/p/bowienet-v3-flash-2003/): Flash websites reach their peak in 2003, becoming almost the default for creative design on the web. David Bowie is on top of this internet trend and commissions a full Flash redesign of BowieNet.
- [2003: MySpace vs. Friendster in a Battle for Digital Natives](https://cybercultural.com/p/myspace-2003/): Social networking becomes a trend in 2003, thanks largely to Friendster and a copycat called MySpace. But only one of these sites attracts the newly influential 'digital native' users of the internet.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2002](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2002/): With Flash websites and CSS designs, the broadband-fueled 2002 internet is full of creativity. Meanwhile, online music is the wild west and the blogosphere points the way to a more social web.
- [How the Blogosphere Takes Shape in 2002, Along With RSS 2.0](https://cybercultural.com/p/blogs-rss-2002/): The blogosphere becomes a trend in 2002 — a growing ecosystem of weblogs interconnecting via feeds, comments and a new feature called trackback. We also see the debut of RSS 2.0 and Technorati.
- [2002: The Second iPod and Steve Jobs on Music Streaming](https://cybercultural.com/p/ipod-2002/): With its revolutionary 'touch wheel' and double the storage, Apple's 2nd gen iPod is the state of the art in digital music in 2002. But the future is online streaming, which Steve Jobs struggles to accept.
- [2002: Last.fm and Audioscrobbler Herald the Social Web](https://cybercultural.com/p/lastfm-audioscrobbler-2002/): Following in Amazon's footsteps, two student projects independently use 'collaborative filtering' to bring recommendations and social networking to online music; soon they will join forces.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2001](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2001/): Even in the middle of the dot-com bust in 2001, there are rays of hope: Wikipedia and the Wayback Machine launch, digital music turns legit with iTunes and the iPod, and blogging goes mainstream.
- [Blogging Gets Serious in 2001 With Warblogs and Movable Type](https://cybercultural.com/p/blogs-rss-2001/): After September 11, 2001, an influx of warblogs shakes up the blogosphere. It's part of a year-long transition in which blogging shifts from personal journaling to a more journalistic approach.
- [2001: The Internet Gets a Memory With the Wayback Machine](https://cybercultural.com/p/wayback-machine-launch-2001/): In October 2001, Brewster Kahle demonstrates a new time machine from the Internet Archive called the Wayback Machine. It will become a vital link between the Web's past and its present.
- [2001: Steve Jobs Launches iTunes and Apple’s Digital Hub](https://cybercultural.com/p/itunes-launch-2001/): With the announcement of iTunes in January 2001, Apple CEO Steve Jobs ushers in the legal digital music era. It also marks the beginning of Apple's renaissance as a Silicon Valley pioneer.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2000](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2000/): In 2000, Flash websites proliferate, blogging expands, social news sites like Slashdot gain influence — all of this while the dot-com bubble slowly deflates and Napster dominates headlines.
- [Replanting Articles: Bring Legacy Posts to Your Website](https://cybercultural.com/p/replanting/): Old articles and blog posts too often get removed from the web or neglected, left to rot on broken pages. Replanting lets you migrate legacy content to your current site so it can thrive again.
- [2000: The Napster Monster and Apple’s Heavenly Jukebox](https://cybercultural.com/p/napster-itunes-2000/): Napster's legal woes intensify in 2000, even as creator Shawn Fanning is celebrated on MTV and on magazine covers. Meanwhile, Apple acquires a startup called SoundJam and turns it into iTunes.
- [Social Karma in 2000 With Slashdot and BowieNet Version 2.0](https://cybercultural.com/p/karma-2000-slashdot-bowienet-v2/): By 2000, Slashdot's pioneering karma system is helping other online communities — like BowieNet — moderate user contributed content. Meanwhile, Google and Amazon enjoy good karma over 2000.
- [2000: Bloggers Make Friends, but RSS Format Wars Kick Off](https://cybercultural.com/p/blogs-rss-2000/): In 2000, the blogroll becomes a trend as bloggers increasingly link to each other. Meanwhile, RSS bifurcates into two opposing formats: Dave Winer's RSS 0.92 and the RDF-based RSS 1.0.
- [The Dot-Com Crash of 2000 and Marc Andreessen’s Act 2](https://cybercultural.com/p/dotcom-crash-2000/): The AOL-Time Warner merger in January 2000 triggers a slow deflation of the dot-com bubble, starting in March. Meanwhile, the Web's golden boy Marc Andreessen returns with a new startup.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1999](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1999/): In 1999, Microsoft vanquishes Netscape in the browser war, Google starts to show up competing search engines, Blogger launches, and Napster loudly arrives to shake up our culture.
- [1999: Blogs Burst Onto the Scene, but RSS Is Slow To Settle](https://cybercultural.com/p/blogs-rss-1999/): The launch of Blogger in August 1999 signals the arrival of weblogs into mainstream web culture. At the same time, web syndication formats are being worked out — starting with Netscape's RSS 0.90.
- [The Emergence of Napster and P2P File Sharing in 1999](https://cybercultural.com/p/napster-1999/): Napster launches in May 1999 and soon there are millions of pirated songs online. Not even David Bowie, who releases an album via digital download that year, can foresee Napster's future influence.
- [Second Life and the Beginnings of the Metaverse in 1999](https://cybercultural.com/p/second-life-metaverse-1999/): After seeing the movie 'The Matrix', Philip Rosedale starts a dot-com company and attempts to build a full-body virtual reality rig. He soon pivots to creating a virtual world on the Web.
- [David Bowie’s 1999 Gaming Adventure and Virtual Album](https://cybercultural.com/p/bowie-1999-omikron/): Continuing his exploration of virtual personas, in 1999 David Bowie plays two 3D characters in a game called 'Omikron: The Nomad Soul'. The songs he contributes are later added to his album, Hours.
- [From BowieWorld to Facebook: How Online Identity Evolved](https://cybercultural.com/p/online-identity-bowieworld-1999/): Exploring different personas on the web is a widespread trend by the late-1990s. Later, Facebook will neuter online identity, but in 1999 you can invent virtual characters on sites like BowieWorld.
- [Google in 1999: Search Engines Escape the Portal Matrix](https://cybercultural.com/p/google-1999/): Like Morpheus in The Matrix, Google gives web users a stark choice in 1999: take the red pill and experience a new world of search quality, or choose the blue pill and stick with the bloated world of portal search.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1998](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1998/): It's 1998, the middle of the dot-com boom. Portals are advertising on TV, web developers are fighting browser companies, Microsoft and Amazon are gaining power, and Netscape is going open source.
- [Search Engines in 1998, Before Google Takes the Spotlight](https://cybercultural.com/p/search-1998/): Google makes the transition from Stanford project to company over 1998, but it is portals like Yahoo! and portal-wannabes like AltaVista that feature in Danny Sullivan's Search Engine Watch this year.
- [1998: How Amazon Conquered Online CD Retailers Like CDnow](https://cybercultural.com/p/cdnow-amazon-1998/): At the start of 1998, CDnow and Music Boulevard are the leading online CD shops. Then in June, Amazon branches out from books and begins to sell music on its fast growing e-commerce website.
- [Launch of BowieNet and the First Inklings of Social Networks](https://cybercultural.com/p/bowienet-launch-1998/): When BowieNet launches in 1998, it becomes the default online community for David Bowie fans. It also anticipates the social networks that will emerge in the 2000s, like Facebook and Reddit.
- [Portals in 1998: The Rise and Fall of Excite and Netcenter](https://cybercultural.com/p/portals-1998/): 1998 is the year of the portal: Excite, Netscape Netcenter, Yahoo, AOL, MSN and others all competing for eyeballs and trying to be sticky. But with so many portals, some will inevitably fail.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1997](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1997/): In 1997, the first browser war begins amid new internet trends like 'push' and DHTML. Meanwhile, instant messaging apps like ICQ and AIM become popular and GeoCities achieves 1 million users.
- [Best Experienced With: MTV.com and the 90s Browser War](https://cybercultural.com/p/browser-war-1990s/): MTV's website in 1997 is a hodgepodge of technologies: Java, JavaScript, frames and more. The quality of your user experience depends on which browser you use: Netscape or IE.
- [The 3 Gurus of 90s Web Design: Zeldman, Siegel, Nielsen](https://cybercultural.com/p/web-design-1997/): With the rise of Flash and CSS in 1997, three web design philosophies emerge. David Siegel advocates for 'hacks', Jakob Nielsen keeps it simple, while Jeffrey Zeldman combines flair with usability.
- [The Age of Buffering: Video Streaming and Webcasts in 1997](https://cybercultural.com/p/video-streaming-1997/): During 1997, video streaming comes to web browsers through plug-ins like RealVideo, VDOLive and Microsoft's NetShow. David Bowie even attempts to 'cybercast' one of his concerts this year.
- [Duran Duran and the Dawn of Digital Music Sales in 1997](https://cybercultural.com/p/digital-music-sales-1997/): In July 1997, N2K and Liquid Audio announce a way to sell digital songs online for 99 cents a pop. Soon after, Duran Duran becomes the first major label artist to release an online single for sale.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1996](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1996/): In 1996, the internet becomes an integral part of society. Web portals are all the rage, e-commerce matures, web designers get new tools (like CSS and Flash), and web applications begin to appear.
- [Telling Lies: Bowie and Online Music Distribution in 1996](https://cybercultural.com/p/online-music-distribution-1996/): Online music retail is thriving by 1996, thanks to sites like Music Boulevard and CDnow. But music downloads and streaming is more of a challenge — as David Bowie discovers in September 1996.
- [State of Online Music in 1996: RealAudio and Rocktroplis](https://cybercultural.com/p/state-of-online-music-1996/): Over 1996, the Web becomes an experimental testing ground for new ways of distributing and promoting music. RealAudio, Rocktropolis, Music Boulevard and IUMA are some of the leading sites.
- [David Bowie’s Early Websites, 1995–1997: Outside to Earthling](https://cybercultural.com/p/david-bowie-website-1995-1997/): During the mid-90s, David Bowie's website goes from a storytelling structure for the Outside album, to a striking, grunge-inspired design for Earthling. At the same time, Bowie fan sites emerge.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1995](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1995/): In 1995, Netscape goes public and Microsoft notices the internet — the browser wars begin. Also this year, Amazon and eBay launch, JavaScript and PHP debut, and the web becomes mainstream.
- [Cyberculture 1960s-1990s and the Legacy of Alice Mary Hilton](https://cybercultural.com/p/cyberculture-alice-mary-hilton/): Alice Mary Hilton coins the word 'cyberculture' in 1963, and by the mid-90s it’s in common use. Yet Hilton never gets her due, especially compared to her contemporary Marshall McLuhan.
- [Cyberspace Movies in 1995: Silicon Valley Meets Hollywood](https://cybercultural.com/p/cyberspace-movies-1995/): Three Hollywood movies are released in 1995 with internet themes: the Keanu Reeves cyberpunk film Johnny Mnemonic (with an accompanying website), The Net with Sandra Bullock, and Hackers.
- [GeoCities in 1995: Building a Home Page on the Internet](https://cybercultural.com/p/geocities-1995/): GeoCities, known throughout most of 1995 as Beverly Hills Internet, is one of the first commercial internet services to make it easy for people to publish a home page on the World Wide Web.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 1994](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-1994/): In 1994, the World Wide Web becomes the default multimedia channel of the Internet. With the launch of Netscape Navigator and early websites like Yahoo! and HotWired, the Web achieves lift-off.
- [Tumblr in 2012 and How the Gifset Redefined Blogging](https://cybercultural.com/p/tumblr-2012/): By 2012, Tumblr is one of the world's top websites — mostly thanks to pop culture fans posting animated gifs of their favorite music, tv and movie stars. Blogging will never be the same again.
- [Netscape in 1994: The Rise of the Webuloids](https://cybercultural.com/p/netscape-1994/): By the time Netscape Navigator is released in December 1994, the World Wide Web is beginning to overcome bandwidth restrictions and live up to its potential as a multimedia portal to the internet.
- [Internet Underground Music Archive in 1994](https://cybercultural.com/p/iuma-1994/): By early 1994, the Internet Underground Music Archive (IUMA) has migrated from Usenet and Gopher to the emerging internet platform, the World Wide Web. It is one of the first multimedia websites.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2012](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2012/): Internet culture pivots to images and videos over 2012, with the growing popularity of image sharing apps like Instagram and Pinterest, video creators on YouTube, and pictures on Reddit.
- [How Lana Del Rey Found Internet Fame on YouTube in 2011](https://cybercultural.com/p/lana-del-rey-youtube-2011/): With YouTube growing fast in 2011, struggling musician Lizzy Grant decides to re-launch her career with a new name and image, new social media accounts, and a self-made video.
- [CD-ROMS in 1994: Bowie, Prince, Gabriel, and Cybermania '94](https://cybercultural.com/p/cd-roms-1994/): David Bowie, Prince and Peter Gabriel all have interactive CD-ROMs out in 1994, and have plans for further multimedia projects. But by the end of the year, the CD-ROM format is effectively over.
- [Multimedia Gulch in 1994: The Age of Interactive CD-ROMs](https://cybercultural.com/p/multimedia-gulch-1994/): Multimedia Gulch is a trendy neighbourhood in San Francisco in the 1990s, home to wannabe rock stars making CD-ROM adventure games. They live fast in a time of slow modems.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2011](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2011/): The internet in 2011 sees power plays in social networking, mobile apps, cloud computing, and streaming. Facebook is challenged by Google+, while new powers like Netflix and Spotify emerge.
- [Bubble Blog, My Web 2.0 Book: Table of Contents](https://cybercultural.com/p/roadmap-bubbleblog/): A chronological table of contents for my memoir, 'Bubble Blog: From Outsider to Insider in Silicon Valley's Web 2.0 Revolution.' Each chapter is a series of posts, usually about three to four.
- [The End of Web 2.0 — One Bubble Deflates, Another Starts Up](https://cybercultural.com/p/067-end-of-web20/): After leaving ReadWriteWeb in October 2012, it becomes apparent that the Web 2.0 era is over. I reflect on what the Web 2.0 bubble meant and how the internet industry continues to evolve.
- [2012: The Transition From ReadWriteWeb to ReadWrite](https://cybercultural.com/p/066-readwriteweb-2012/): After its acquisition of ReadWriteWeb, SAY Media widens our coverage but does not give the site the resources it needs. Later, several key people leave SAY and/or RWW — including me.
- [Bubble Blog Now Available as a Book](https://cybercultural.com/p/book-release-bubbleblog/): Announcing the release of my memoir as a paperback and eBook. Fourteen months after I began serialising my book online, here on Cybercultural, you can now purchase a paper copy.
- [The Deal Is Done: ReadWriteWeb Sells to SAY Media](https://cybercultural.com/p/065-selling-readwriteweb/): In early December 2011, I travel to San Francisco for due diligence with SAY Media as it prepares to acquire ReadWriteWeb. Then, on the 14th, the transaction goes through and I no longer own RWW.
- [SAY Media Offers To Acquire ReadWriteWeb](https://cybercultural.com/p/064-saymedia-offer-for-readwriteweb/): The day after the final Web 2.0 Summit closes in October 2011, Sean and I visit the SAY Media office in San Francisco to meet its CEO. In the days after, SAY presents an offer to purchase ReadWriteWeb.
- [The Last Web 2.0 Conference and RWW Acquisition Talks 2.0](https://cybercultural.com/p/063-the-last-web20-conference-2011/): In October 2011 in San Francisco, I attend what turns out to be the final Web 2.0 Summit. During the event, my COO Sean and I meet with 5 potential acquirers for ReadWriteWeb.
- [Before My Latest Portland Trip, I Decide To Sell ReadWriteWeb](https://cybercultural.com/p/062-rww-portland-2011/): Prior to my October 2011 trip to the US for Web 2.0 Summit (it would be the last ever Web 2.0 conference), I decide to put RWW up for sale. Then during my visit to Portland before SF, Marshall resigns.
- [RWW Writer Exodus — the Blog Business Pressures Pile Up](https://cybercultural.com/p/061-blog-business-pressure/): I worry about my relationship with Marshall, as I try to manage ructions within the writing team. It goes from bad to worse when several of our writers get poached by tech blog competitors.
- [The ReadWriteWeb 2WAY Summit NYC, 2011](https://cybercultural.com/p/060-rww-2way-summit-nyc-2011/): Our two-day conference in the summer of 2011 in New York City has amazing content, but attendance is disappointing and we lose money. After, we part ways with another community manager.
- [The Enshittocene: How the Internet Got Worse in the 2010s](https://cybercultural.com/p/enshittification/): The 2010s was a period of the internet colonized by platforms, which caused 'enshittification' of web products. Users and developers both suffered, but are fighting back now through the decentralized web.
- [The Great Editorial Pivot of 2011 As RWW Struggles Continue](https://cybercultural.com/p/059-editorial-pivot/): Our writer woes are not getting better and it’s impacting page view numbers. Social media referral traffic is also a concern. It prompts me to decide on a drastic strategy shift for ReadWriteWeb.
- [Team RWW Meetings at SXSW 2011 and a Crisis of Confidence](https://cybercultural.com/p/058-readwriteweb-ceo-dilemma/): During my trip to Austin in March 2011, I catch up with ReadWriteWeb writers Sarah Perez and Mike Melanson. Then when I get back home, I start thinking about big changes to our company.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2010](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2010/): 2010 is the year of mobile apps — Instagram's launch, the rise of Foursquare, the release of the iPad, and the rapid growth of Facebook and Twitter via apps. The internet also impacts political uprisings.
- [SXSW 2011 and Dealing With RWW Editorial Challenges](https://cybercultural.com/p/057-sxsw-2011/): Team ReadWriteWeb attends SXSW 2011 in Austin. We host a BBQ for our sponsors, I meet Sarah and Seamus for the first time, and the RWW management team addresses writer concerns.
- [Swapping Web 2.0 Summit for PARC; and RWW Planning for 2011](https://cybercultural.com/p/056-parc-visit-2010/): In October 2010, I visit Silicon Valley again but skip the Web 2.0 Summit. Instead, I’m a judge at a startup competition and visit PARC. After my trip, I buy a house and contemplate RWW’s future.
- [ReadWriteWeb Growing Pains and Managing Bloggers](https://cybercultural.com/p/055-rww-expansion-2010/): As we continue to grow ReadWriteWeb over the second half of 2010, I struggle with our inability to hire US writers full-time because it’s a non-US company. This creates unease amongst our bloggers.
- [Serializing a Book Online: Lessons From My Web 2.0 Memoir](https://cybercultural.com/p/online-serialization-thoughts/): On the first anniversary of launching my serialized book, I reflect on what I've learned — including the pros and cons (mostly pros) of my pivot from Substack newsletter to indie website.
- [Social Media in 2010 and the Rise of Social Referrers](https://cybercultural.com/p/054-social-media-2010/): By mid-2010, social referrers like Facebook, Digg and StumbleUpon are a key driver for our tech blog’s traffic. Meanwhile, we hire a new community manager and discuss how best to use Twitter.
- [Foo Camp 2010 and Going Exponential at Singularity University](https://cybercultural.com/p/053-foo-camp-2010-singularity-uni/): I finish up my big 2010 US trip with my first experience of O’Reilly Media’s Foo Camp — and my introvert batteries are tested. Before that, a future astronaut takes me to Singularity University.
- [My Trip to Portland, Home to Half of Team ReadWriteWeb](https://cybercultural.com/p/052-ricmac-in-portland-2010/): In June 2010, I make my first trip to Portland, Oregon, where many of our crew live. On a coworking day at a local cafe, I negotiate a tricky staff problem and also get to know the team better.
- [Filter Bubbles and the RWW Real-Time Web Summit, June 2010](https://cybercultural.com/p/051-realtimeweb-summit-nyc-2010/): I take another long series of flights to New York City for ReadWriteWeb's latest real-time web event. Before that, I chat with Twitter's Dick Costolo and get interviewed by ABC News Radio.
- [Cybercultural Redesign and Adding WDH Content](https://cybercultural.com/p/redesign-and-wdh-migration/): Details of a redesign here at Cybercultural, including upgrading to Eleventy v3.0. Also, my previous blog Web Development History has been folded into Cybercultural — adding more dot-com articles.
- [New York Times HQ Visit and Emergence of Influencer Culture](https://cybercultural.com/p/050-meeting-new-york-times-2010/): On my latest trip to New York City, in May 2010, Sean and I attend Creative Week to scope out the venue for our next event, meet VC Fred Wilson, and visit the New York Times skyscraper.
- [Burbn to Instagram: The ReadWriteWeb Mobile Summit 2010](https://cybercultural.com/p/049-rww-mobile-summit-may2010/): We hold our second Silicon Valley unconference, this time about the mobile internet. One of our presenters shows off their HTML5 website, but shortly after pivots to an app called Instagram.
- [ReadWriteWeb Mistaken for Facebook Login — Hilarity Ensues](https://cybercultural.com/p/048-readwriteweb-facebook-login/): The time our website is mistaken for the Facebook login page by thousands of people. Also, Marshall becomes coeditor of RWW and I attend Web 2.0 Expo 2010.
- [SXSW Music Blues and RWW Community Manager Departs](https://cybercultural.com/p/047-sxsw-music-2010/): After not seeing ReadWriteWeb's Community Manager during SXSW Interactive, we mutually agree to part ways. Afterwards, I try to enjoy the earsplitting attractions of SXSW Music 2010 in Austin.
- [Democracy on the Net: Onstage With Ai Weiwei and @Jack](https://cybercultural.com/p/046-ai-weiwei-event-march-2010/): It's March 2010 and the Paley Center hosts an event in NYC starring Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and your humble RWW editor. We're discussing the future of democracy.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2009](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2009/): The social web goes mainstream in 2009, with everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Ashton Kutcher on Twitter — including via iPhone or Android apps. But Web 2.0 capitalism is also ramping up.
- [SXSW 2010 and RWW Co-Hosts a Party at Austin City Limits](https://cybercultural.com/p/045-sxsw-2010/): I attend South by Southwest for the first time, including a concert ReadWriteWeb co-hosts with PBS and other US media luminaries. The question is: will we get into our own party?
- [Web 2.0 Summit 2009 and ReadWriteWeb Hires New COO](https://cybercultural.com/p/044-web20-summit-2009/): My trip to San Francisco for the Web 2.0 Summit in October 2009 is memorable mainly for my discussions with Sean Ammirati, soon to become RWW’s new chief operating officer.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2008](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2008/): The launch of app stores by Apple and Google shakes up the web ecosystem in 2008 — now there are potential gatekeepers. Although Google also launches its Chrome browser, so it covers all bases.
- [Team RWW in Silicon Valley and a Tense Meeting With My COO](https://cybercultural.com/p/043-team-rww-palo-alto-2009/): The day after our first conference in October 2009, the ReadWriteWeb bloggers socialise at a Palo Alto bar. It's not all fun and games though, because I need to make some changes at RWW.
- [The ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summit, October 2009](https://cybercultural.com/p/042-readwrite-realtime-web-summit-2009/): It's a sunny fall day in 2009 and ReadWriteWeb is holding its first ever event, a one-day 'unconference' at the beautiful Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Silicon Valley.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2007](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2007/): The iPhone and Android both launch in 2007. But it is still a desktop web — social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr keep people glued to their computer screens.
- [Planning the First ReadWriteWeb Unconference](https://cybercultural.com/p/041-readwriteweb-event-planning-2009/): In July 2009, we begin planning our first in-person event: the ReadWrite Real-Time Web Summit, at the Computer History Museum. Also, my personal life receives a boost — but, it’s complicated.
- [Why 2009 Was When Big Tech Began To Control Web 2.0](https://cybercultural.com/p/040-web20-big-tech-control-2009/): It's 2009 and Firefox is being challenged by Google’s new Chrome browser, as Microsoft IE continues its slow decline. Meanwhile, Facebook acquires trendy social software app FriendFeed.
- [Meeting My Hero, Tim Berners-Lee, at W3C Headquarters](https://cybercultural.com/p/039-tim-berners-lee-2009/): At the end of another oversea trip in mid-2009, I visit MIT in Cambridge to meet the man who created the World Wide Web. Also, I delve deeper into the Semantic Web and Internet of Things.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2006](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2006/): In 2006, social networks like Facebook and YouTube ramp up, Twitter is born, Amazon invents cloud computing, web geeks obsess over RSS, and User Generated Content becomes king.
- [RWW Makes Twitter Suggested User List and Grows Team](https://cybercultural.com/p/038-twitter-sul-2009-rww/): Troubles in my personal life impact the ReadWriteWeb business in the first half of 2009, but traffic continues to grow. We also add several new writers and operations people to our team.
- [My 2009 Googleplex Visit and RWW Launches Channels](https://cybercultural.com/p/037-googleplex-2009-rww-channels/): ReadWriteWeb begins 2009 by adding several vertical subsites, including ReadWriteStart. Meanwhile, I travel back to Silicon Valley for ETech and a day trip to the Googleplex in Mountain View.
- [Web 2.0 Summit 2008 and Tech Media's Pivot to Business News](https://cybercultural.com/p/036-web20-summit-2008/): I'm back in the US to attend Microsoft's PDC and the 2008 Web 2.0 Summit. Team RWW meets in San Francisco and despite the looming global financial crisis, we remain techno-optimists.
- [Curious About Early Twitter? 5 Key Facts From 2007](https://cybercultural.com/p/twitter-in-2007-key-facts/): Here are five things you might not have known about Twitter in 2007, the year it broke out as a leading social media tool. For starters, it was termed microblogging and the word 'tweet' wasn't yet common.
- [Indie Media Business 2.0: RWW Adds Structure and Writers](https://cybercultural.com/p/035-indie-media-business-20/): After pulling out of the ZDE deal in July 2008, ReadWriteWeb expands its writing team and I put some much needed structure into the business. Also, we ink a syndication deal with The New York Times.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2005](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2005/): 2005 is the year Web 2.0 business begins to boom, with the acquisitions of Flickr and MySpace, the launch of YouTube and Reddit, and new innovations in RSS and web development.
- [Unacquired: ReadWriteWeb Pulls Out of the ZDE Deal](https://cybercultural.com/p/034-rww-withdraws-from-zde-deal/): After weeks of delay in closing the proposed Ziff Davis Enterprise acquisition of RWW, and seeing Ars Technica and PaidContent both get bought, I decide enough is enough. Time to get back to work.
- [Alien in New York: ReadWriteWeb & the American Dream](https://cybercultural.com/p/033-rww-american-dream-2008/): To wrap up due diligence, I sit down with Insight Partners to discuss ReadWriteWeb's finances. Later, I get the meat sweats at Carnegie Deli and catch up on blog business before my flight home.
- [What the Internet Was Like in 2004](https://cybercultural.com/p/internet-2004/): The next era of web technology starts in 2004 — when Flickr and Gmail launch, blogging plus RSS becomes the new social software, Google IPOs, and the first Web 2.0 Conference happens.
- [I’m Waiting for the EBITDA: Visiting the ZDE Office in NYC](https://cybercultural.com/p/032-zde-discussions-ebitda/): It's May 2008 and due diligence kicks off at Ziff Davis Enterprise headquarters, on 28th St in midtown Manhattan. Before that, I meet my ReadWriteWeb colleague Bernard Lunn for the first time.
- [Due Diligence Begins in NYC and RWW Gets NZ Media Award](https://cybercultural.com/p/031-zde-due-diligence-begins/): Just as ReadWriteWeb becomes one of the 10 most popular blogs in the world, I travel to New York to meet with Ziff Davis Enterprise about its proposed acquisition. Before leaving, I accept a local media award.
- [On Selling Your Website — It's OK to Be a Lifestyle Business](https://cybercultural.com/p/on-selling-your-website/): Thoughts on whether I should've sold ReadWriteWeb when I did, given what happened to the site over the next decade. In hindsight, running it as a lifestyle business would've been a viable option too.
- [A Deal Is Done and I Attend a Trippy Web 2.0 Party at Temple](https://cybercultural.com/p/030-rww-acquisition-deal-2008/): In late April 2008, I sign a Letter of Intent to sell ReadWriteWeb to a US media company. Also, I attend a VIP Web 2.0 party in downtown San Francisco — where everyone seems high but me.
- [Dinner at TWO, But With Which Acquirer? A Zany Night in SF](https://cybercultural.com/p/029-dinner-at-two/): I continue negotiations with two potential acquirers of ReadWriteWeb: CMP and Ziff Davis Enterprise. One invites me to dinner at a trendy SoMA restaurant, but it turns out three's a crowd.
- [2008 Web 2.0 Expo; M&A Talks With ZDE and CMP Continue](https://cybercultural.com/p/028-web2-expo-2008/): At the Web 2.0 Expo in April 2008, I meet my ReadWriteWeb colleagues Marshall and Josh for the first time. Also, negotiations with ZDE and CMP continue — including a lunch meeting with CMP.
- [Acquisition Talks: Two Suitors Emerge for ReadWriteWeb](https://cybercultural.com/p/027-acquisition-talks-rww-2008/): In early 2008, I surprisingly find myself with two media company wooers for ReadWriteWeb: CMP and Ziff Davis Enterprise. The deals look good, but the earn-out targets concern me.
- [ReadWriteWeb’s Big Redesign & the Inaugural Crunchies](https://cybercultural.com/p/026-rww-redesign-2007-crunchies/): At the end of 2007, ReadWriteWeb unveils our new design — featuring a slash of vibrant red in the header! Also, we co-host the first Crunchies in San Francisco and I meet Mashable’s founder.
- [Stress 2.0: Type 1 Diabetes Plus Web Server Issues](https://cybercultural.com/p/025-health-problems-server-issues/): In November 2007, I get a shock diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes — which makes me rethink work-life balance. Meanwhile, the Read/WriteWeb server struggles to cope with our rapid page view growth.
- [Read/WriteWeb Makes Key Hire and I Meet Hustle Culture](https://cybercultural.com/p/024-readwriteweb-key-hire-hustle-culture/): Marshall Kirkpatrick joins Read/WriteWeb in September 2007. The following month, I attend the Web 2.0 Summit and experience the start of hustle culture when I meet Gary Vaynerchuk.
- [Las Vegas and the Microsoft MIX Conference 2007](https://cybercultural.com/p/023-microsoft-mix-2007/): I travel to Vegas, where I learn about 'rich internet applications' and Microsoft's Flash alternative, Silverlight. Meanwhile, Read/WriteWeb doubles traffic and breaks into the Technorati top 30.
- [Web 2.0 Expo 2007: Web 2.0 Goes Mainstream](https://cybercultural.com/p/022-web20-expo-2007/): My trip to Silicon Valley for the inaugural Web 2.0 Expo in April 2007, where I meet several Read/WriteWeb colleagues for the first time, sample the social life, and enjoy the expanding tech bubble.
- [Read/WriteWeb Network Launches Amid iPhone Debut](https://cybercultural.com/p/021-iphone-debut-2007-rww-network/): Soon after Steve Jobs announces the iPhone in January 2007, I hire my first paid writer for Read/WriteWeb and launch a blog network. The new blogs are last100, about digital lifestyle, and AltSearchEngines.
- [Betting on Web 2.0: High Stakes Blogging](https://cybercultural.com/p/020-betting-on-web20/): My trip to Silicon Valley for the Web 2.0 Summit in November 2006 ends with a poker game at Mike Arrington's house in Atherton. Meanwhile, Time Magazine names us all 'Person of the Year.'
- [Lou Reed and the 2006 Web 2.0 Summit](https://cybercultural.com/p/019-web20-summit-2006-lou-reed/): At the Web 2.0 Summit, I get advice about my growing blog business, miss a breakfast meeting with a VC, and get my ears blown out by Lou Reed. The business opportunities of Web 2.0 are opening up.
- [The Birth of Cloud Computing and Team Read/WriteWeb](https://cybercultural.com/p/018-birth-of-cloud-computing/): In 2006, Read/WriteWeb gets a redesign and I begin to grow the team, starting with a couple of engineers who help me explain Amazon Web Services and GoogleOS. Cloud computing becomes a trend.
- [Gnomedex 2006 and My Corporate Blogging Adventure](https://cybercultural.com/p/017-gnomedex-2006-corporate-blogging/): I visit Seattle for the second time in 2006, for Gnomedex — one of the more fun tech conferences on the circuit. Also, I co-found another workgroup and company, this time based on the term 'Media 2.0'.
- [The Core Values of Blogging: Attending BloggerCon 2006](https://cybercultural.com/p/016-the-core-values-of-blogging/): In June 2006, I interview Yahoo at Supernova about its open platform and learn why developers prefer building frivolous Flickr apps. I then struggle to get a word in edgeways at BloggerCon.
- [Digg and the Power Laws of Silicon Valley in 2006](https://cybercultural.com/p/015-digg-power-laws-of-silicon-valley/): In 2006 there is controversy about the power of 'user generated content' aggregators like Digg, Reddit and Netscape 2.0. The power-law dynamic applies equally to users and content creators.
- [Reluctant Salesman: The Sponsor Ads Era of the Blogosphere](https://cybercultural.com/p/014-the-sponsor-ads-era-2006/): Over 2006, I ramp up ReadWriteWeb's advertising business, first by partnering with John Battelle's FM Publishing and then by copying TechCrunch's sidebar ad format. Revenue starts to come in.
- [Visiting the Microsoft Campus in Redmond, January 2006](https://cybercultural.com/p/013-visiting-the-microsoft-campus/): It's January 2006 and I attend Microsoft Search Champs to discuss Live.com, the company's start page. I also catch up with local tech blogger John Musser, a fellow Web 2.0 Workgroup member.
- [Microsoft Search Champs and the Gift Basket, January 2006](https://cybercultural.com/p/012-gift-basket-seattle-january-2006/): I fly to Seattle for Microsoft Search Champs and to meet up again with my blog buddies. But there's a problem: no gift basket! Later I meet Erik Benson at the office of his startup, The Robot Co-op.
- [The Web 2.0 Illuminati: Are We in Another Internet Bubble?](https://cybercultural.com/p/011-the-web-20-illuminati/): My cover as leader of the Web 2.0 Illuminati is blown in November 2005, while mainstream media reports on another internet bubble. Also, I contemplate expanding ReadWriteWeb's business.
- [Spicy Noodles: Dave Winer and the Web 2.0 Workgroup](https://cybercultural.com/p/010-spicy-noodles/): The Web 2.0 Workgroup forms and I meet one of my web heroes: Dave Winer, the creator of RSS 2.0. Also, Techmeme's Gabe Rivera and I talk about our nascent web businesses.
- [Richard Goes to Yahoo! — Talking RSS and Blogging in 2005](https://cybercultural.com/p/009-richard-goes-to-yahoo/): On a cloudless day in October 2005, a week after the Web 2.0 Conference, I visit the gleaming yellow and purple Yahoo! campus to talk RSS and blogging with the company's resident bloggers.
- [The Colors of Web 2.0 Party, October 2005](https://cybercultural.com/p/008-the-colors-of-web-20-party/): I attend a hyped Web 2.0 party hosted by Flock, del.icio.us, Flickr, Odeo, and other trendy startups. Later in the night, I desparately try to catch the last Caltrain back to Silicon Valley.
- [Day 2 of the 2005 Web 2.0 Conference; Plus Pre-Web Memories](https://cybercultural.com/p/007-2005-web-20-conference-day-2/): I watch entrepreneur Jason Calacanis celebrate selling his Web 2.0 blog business to AOL; later I have a drink by myself at the House of Shields, and think about pre-internet days.
- [Revving Up at the 2005 Web 2.0 Conference](https://cybercultural.com/p/006-revving-up-2005-web-20-conference/): I'm there for the opening day of the second annual Web 2.0 Conference, held at the Argent Hotel in San Francisco. Plus I get to meet Mr Web 2.0 himself, O'Reilly Media CEO Tim O'Reilly.
- [ReadWriteWeb Growth in 2005, Before First US Trip](https://cybercultural.com/p/2005-growth-of-web-20-and-rww/): I first visit Silicon Valley and the US in late September 2005. For the nine months prior, my tech blog Read/WriteWeb rapidly grew and was starting to evolve into a professional blog business.
- [Arriving at the TechCrunch Ranch As Web 2.0 Hype Begins](https://cybercultural.com/p/005-arriving-at-the-techcrunch-ranch/): My first trip to Silicon Valley in 2005 — when I get to know Mike Arrington, the founder of a new blog called TechCrunch, and Gabe Rivera, the founder of a new aggregator called Techmeme.
- [A Call With Tim O’Reilly After the First Web 2.0 Conference](https://cybercultural.com/p/004-call-with-tim-oreilly-2004/): I interview Tim O'Reilly, the man who coined Web 2.0 and a key Silicon Valley figure, but I wonder if he thinks my questions suck; also, I begin experimenting with earning money from blogging.
- [Marc Andreessen in 2004: Adapting to a New Web Era](https://cybercultural.com/p/marc-andreessen-2004/): Marc Andreessen co-founded Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz. In 2004 he was leaving enterprise software (Opsware) for the emerging social web, with a new startup: Ning.
- [The First Web 2.0 Conference in 2004: A New Bubble Begins](https://cybercultural.com/p/003-the-first-web-20-conference-2004/): I tune into the 2004 Web 2.0 Conference and learn about network effects and data sharecroppers. Meanwhile I conduct my first major interview as a tech blogger, with a former multimedia star.
- [Blogging in 2003–2004: The Early Years of ReadWriteWeb](https://cybercultural.com/p/002-the-early-years-of-readwriteweb/): ReadWriteWeb began as a Radio Userland weblog in April 2003. Its author was a naive young man from New Zealand, passionate about web technology and exploring the still nascent blogosphere.
- [Introduction to Bubble Blog, a Memoir of Web 2.0 (2004-2011)](https://cybercultural.com/p/001-introduction-to-bubble-blog-book/): The introductory chapter of my serialized memoir and internet history book, 'Bubble Blog: From Outsider to Insider in Silicon Valley's Web 2.0 Revolution'. Recounts my first trip to Silicon Valley.
- [Announcing Bubble Blog, My Web 2.0 Memoir](https://cybercultural.com/p/bubble-blog-web20-memoir/): The announcement of my latest book, a memoir and internet history to be serialized on Cybercultural. Travel back to the Web 2.0 era and the beginnings of social media, smartphones, and more.
- [Preserving Media: A Visit to the Physical Internet Archive](https://cybercultural.com/p/physical-internet-archive/): In a behind-the-scenes tour of the Internet Archive, founder Brewster Kahle explains how it preserves both digital and physical media — everything from books to websites to 78 RPM records.
- [ReadWriteWeb on Wayback Machine vs. Old Screenshots](https://cybercultural.com/p/wayback-machine-vs-screenshots/): As I get ready to launch my book serialization, I compare Wayback Machine copies of ReadWriteWeb to the few old screenshots I have — and discover there's sometimes a big difference.
- [Book Update Plus My Thoughts on ChatGPT and Generative AI](https://cybercultural.com/p/book-update-my-thoughts-on-generative/): An update on my book, a 100%-human written memoir about my experiences during Web 2.0 (draft 1 finished!). Also, thoughts on ChatGPT and its impact on society — especially for writers.
- [Twitter in 2007: The Open Platform That Wasn't](https://cybercultural.com/p/twitter-in-2007-the-open-platform/): How do Bluesky and Mastodon compare with Twitter in 2007? Nobody quite knew what Twitter was back then, yet developers were already building on it — not realizing the platform risks.
- [ReadWriteWeb Turns 20: Writing to the Web Then and Now](https://cybercultural.com/p/readwriteweb-20/): I look back on two decades of my former tech blog, ReadWriteWeb ☯️, including the more than 10 years since I left. It can be frustrating to see something I built up turn into...something else.
- [The Golden Age of Microblogging, With Soup.io and Tumblr](https://cybercultural.com/p/the-golden-age-of-microblogging/): I take a nostalgic trip back to 2007-11, when Tumblr, Soup.io, FriendFeed and other microblogging apps roamed the web. Also: are activity streams poised to make a comeback on the fediverse? 🍲
- [Check-In Culture: Foursquare Raps by the Go-Bang Mayor](https://cybercultural.com/p/foursquare-raps-by-the-go-bang-mayor/): I look back on a forgotten age in social media, when you used a location-based app like Foursquare to check-in to a place 100 times and take photos of your huevos rancheros 🍳 🫘 ☕
- [Flickr Before Smartphones and Instagram](https://cybercultural.com/p/flickr-before-smartphones-and-instagram/): What was it like using Flickr in early Web 2.0, before smartphones came along and before Instagram changed everything? It was an age of digital cameras and low-quality PXTs from mobile phones 📸
- [BowieNet: The Inside Story of Its Creation](https://cybercultural.com/p/bowienet-the-inside-story/): Part web portal, part Internet Service Provider, part proto-blog — when David Bowie and his web team launch BowieNet in 1998, it is truly revolutionary. Cybercultural interviews one of its creators.
- [1993: Mosaic Launches and the Web Becomes Open Source](https://cybercultural.com/p/1993-mosaic-launches-and-the-web-is-set-free/): On 21 April 1993, Marc Andreessen announces NCSA Mosaic 1.0, the first version of its multimedia browser. Just over a week later, CERN gifts the World Wide Web to the world as open source software.
- [1992: The Web vs Gopher, and the First External Browsers](https://cybercultural.com/p/1992-web-vs-gopher/): Three non-CERN web browsers are released over 1992 — Erwise, ViolaWWW and MidasWWW — at a time when there are less than 20 websites in the world. It is a turning point for the young Web.
- [1991: Tim Berners-Lee Tries to Convert the Hypertext Faithful](https://cybercultural.com/p/1991-tim-berners-lee-trys-to-convert-the-hypertext-faithful/): After a year and a half of stalling from CERN management, Tim Berners-Lee hopes the momentum at the end of 1990 will continue into the new year. But disappointment soon follows.
- [1990: Programming the World Wide Web](https://cybercultural.com/p/1990-programming-the-world-wide-web/): In the final few months of 1990, Tim Berners-Lee and his CERN colleague Robert Cailliau develop the world’s first browser, create the HTML markup language, write the first web server, and invent HTTP.
- [1999: Netscape’s Fall and the Rise of the Mozilla Browser](https://cybercultural.com/p/1999-the-fall-of-netscape-and-the-rise-of-mozilla/): By 1999, not only has Netscape fallen behind Microsoft in browser technology, it also has trouble navigating relationships — with both its parent AOL and the developers of its open source project, Mozilla.
- [1996: Flash and CSS Bring Design to the Web](https://cybercultural.com/p/1996-flash-css-web-design/): There are two stylistically opposed approaches to web design in the 1990s, epitomized by two distinct — and utterly different — technologies, both of which debut in 1996.
- [1995: MySQL Debuts and Web Databases Slowly Emerge](https://cybercultural.com/p/1995-mysql-lamp-stack/): By the end of 1995, the foundational pieces of the open source LAMP stack for web development (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python) are in place. However, MySQL is not initially open source.
- [1995: Apache and Microsoft IIS Shake Up Web Server Market](https://cybercultural.com/p/1995-apache-microsoft-iis-web-server-market/): In April 1995, the Apache Web Server Project announces a new 'public-domain HTTP server'. Soon after, Microsoft announces its first web server software, Internet Information Server.
- [1994: How Perl Became the Foundation of Yahoo](https://cybercultural.com/p/1994-perl-yahoo/): The founding of Yahoo is one of the iconic Silicon Valley business stories. What’s lesser known is the web development story of Yahoo throughout 1994, based on a scripting language called Perl.
- [The Time I Met Bill English, Co-Creator of the Mouse](https://cybercultural.com/p/the-first-web-developer/): I interviewed Bill English in May 2014, six years before his death on July 26, 2020, at age 91. English was Doug Engelbart’s right-hand man in the Mother of All Demos in 1968 and helped develop the mouse.
- [1998: The Open Web With Mozilla, W3C’s DOM, and WaSP](https://cybercultural.com/p/1998-mozilla-w3c-dom-wasp/): 1998 is the year the web starts to open up. It's when projects like Mozilla and organizations like the W3C and The Web Standards Project begin to steer the web towards a more equitable future.
- [1997: The Year of DHTML](https://cybercultural.com/p/1997-the-year-of-dhtml/): DHTML, or Dynamic HTML, is essentially a combination of HTML, JavaScript, the newly released CSS standard, and an emerging web programming model called the DOM (Document Object Model).
- [1997: JavaScript Grows Up, Developers Push Boundaries](https://cybercultural.com/p/1997-javascript-apps-dynamic-web/): Pointy-headed technical analysis of JavaScript is not what is required in 1997. Developers of this era need practical guidance and code samples. Also, Brendan Eich moves on from Netscape.
- [1995: PHP Launches As Server-Side CGI Scripts Toolset](https://cybercultural.com/p/1995-php-quietly-launches-as-a-cgi-scripts-toolset/): In mid-1995, a toolset called Personal Home Page Tools (PHP Tools) launches — and hardly anyone notices. PHP isn’t a scripting language at this point, but it will eventually become one.
- [1993: CGI Scripts and Early Server-Side Web Programming](https://cybercultural.com/p/1993-cgi-scripts-and-early-server-side-web-programming/): The Common Gateway Interface (CGI) in 1993 is the start of web applications. On the early Web, it typically takes the form of Perl scripts for features like contact forms and guest books.
- [1997: Netscape Crossware vs. the Windows Web](https://cybercultural.com/p/1997-netscape-crossware-vs-the-windows-web/): After Microsoft upped the ante in the browser market in 1996 by integrating Internet Explorer 3.0 into Windows, Netscape begins the new year with a renewed focus on the open web.
- [1996: Microsoft Activates the Internet With ActiveX, JScript](https://cybercultural.com/p/1996-microsoft-activates-the-internet-with-activex-jscript/): In March 1996, Bill Gates announces a set of internet technologies called ActiveX. It is the moment web companies had feared — Microsoft is embedding the Internet into its Windows OS.
- [1969: Building the oN-Line System](https://cybercultural.com/p/1969-building-the-on-line-system/): On October 1, 1969, ten months after the historic Mother Of All Demos, Doug Engelbart from the Augmentation Research Center gives a second demonstration of the pioneering NLS.
- [1996: Netscape Lays the Groundwork for Web Applications](https://cybercultural.com/p/1996-netscape-lays-the-groundwork-for-web-applications/): Netscape Navigator 3.0 is a 'universal client' to help expand what HTML can do. But Netscape is also looking to broaden its product offering with a suite of tools it calls Netscape Communicator.
- [1968: The Mother of All Demos](https://cybercultural.com/p/1968-the-mother-of-all-demos/): It's December 9, 1968, and Douglas Engelbart is about to showcase the world’s first personal, networked, computer — as a live demo. It’s the computing equivalent of a high-wire trapeze act with no net.
- [1996: JavaScript Annoyances and Meeting the DOM](https://cybercultural.com/p/1996-javascript-annoyances-and-meeting-the-dom/): Other than homepages sprinkled with little animations, scrolling text, and embedded digital clocks, adventurous corporate webmasters begin to experiment with JavaScript in early 1996.
- [1995: The Birth of JavaScript](https://cybercultural.com/p/1995-the-birth-of-javascript/): JavaScript is invented in a two-week flurry in May 1995 by Brendan Eich, a newly hired developer at browser company Netscape. The idea is to extend the early Web beyond the limits of HTML.
- [Internet Amnesia: Clive James & His Website](https://cybercultural.com/p/clive-james-website/): In addition to his many books and tv shows, the late writer and cultural critic Clive James considered websites a viable way to preserve cultural content. But has his own website survived?
- [The Internet’s Impact on Culture](https://cybercultural.com/p/the-internets-impact-on-culture/): Marc Andreessen says the internet's impact on culture is just beginning and that it will set the culture going forward. But what does that mean? The answer is found by looking back at internet history.
- [The Decade in Culture Tech: Streaming, Binging, Opining](https://cybercultural.com/p/2010s-decade-in-culture-tech/): From 2010-2019, the social software innovations of Web 2.0 gave way to an era defined by smartphones, social media and streaming. Life is good for consumers, but what about creators?
- [Top 5 Culture-Tech Trends of 2019: Rise of Digital Culture](https://cybercultural.com/p/top-5-culture-tech-trends-of-2019/): From the rule of audio formats to the increasing popularity of social video shorts, 'culture-tech' has thrived this year. There's no doubt that digital technology is transforming the cultural industries.
- [The State of Podcasting: A Golden Age for Online Audio](https://cybercultural.com/p/the-state-of-podcasting/): I look at the distribution dynamics of podcasting (increasingly a battle between Apple and Spotify, with Google doing some flexing too), how the podcast content market is shaping up, and revenue statistics.
- [Audiobooks Deep Dive: Latest Statistics and Trends](https://cybercultural.com/p/audiobooks-deep-dive-latest-statistics/): While Audible and other audiobook products have done some experiments with popular authors, there’s been nothing on the scale of what Spotify has done to music or Netflix to TV and movies.
- [Audio vs. Text: The Rise of Podcasts and Audiobooks](https://cybercultural.com/p/audio-vs-text-rise-of-podcasts-audiobooks/): Media formats evolve over time, as do business models. This is the age of audio, of that there’s no doubt. But the written word — like the article you're about to read — isn’t going away.
- [Bowie, Houdini & Other Reasons I Love Blogs and Newsletters](https://cybercultural.com/p/reasons-i-love-blogs-and-newsletters/): Art and culture is meant to be enjoyed and savoured, as well as make you think about the world from different viewpoints. Blogs and newsletters are the best online tools to help us do that.
- [How Blogs and Newsletters Can Fight Back at Social Media](https://cybercultural.com/p/blogs-newsletters-and-tumblr-fight-back/): Social networking built around cultural content: while blogs, Tumblr and email newsletters cannot compete with social media for popular attention, we can build an alternative world with these tools.
- [How Interactive Media Fits Into the Cultural Landscape](https://cybercultural.com/p/interactive-media-2019/): Online gaming, virtual reality experiences and mixed reality apps — interactive media — are among the fastest growing parts of the digital economy. But are they what we’d traditionally label as 'culture'?
- [Are We Doing Enough To Archive Digital Culture?](https://cybercultural.com/p/are-we-doing-enough-to-archive-digital-culture/): I look at the problem of archiving cultural content from magazines, blogs, musicians and video gamers — and why it matters. Our digital culture is valuable, so we must do better to preserve it.
- [AI in the Cultural Industries: Uses and Limitations](https://cybercultural.com/p/ai-in-the-cultural-industries-uses/): Examining the real-world impact of AI software across the cultural sectors. While sometimes useful, AI music or articles will never replace the added value delivered by human composers and writers.
- [How Photo Sharing Is Impacting the Cultural Industries](https://cybercultural.com/p/photo-sharing-cultural-industries/): Image and video were the primary formats for social media in the 2010s, in large part driven by Instagram’s steep growth throughout the decade and new short video formats like 'Stories'.
- [The Chernobyl Podcast and the Value of Internet Deep Dives](https://cybercultural.com/p/chernobyl-podcast-deep-dives/): Listening to The Chernobyl Podcast reminded me that in the digital era of entertainment, enjoying a favorite tv show or movie is about much more than simply watching it.
- [Audiobook Sales Are Surging, While Print and Ebooks Decline](https://cybercultural.com/p/audiobooks-continue-strong-growth/): Despite worrying times for print books and ebooks, digital audiobooks in the 2010s have given the book industry reason to be optimistic. The big question is how much more can audiobooks grow.
- [Music Distribution in the Streaming and Social Media Era](https://cybercultural.com/p/beyond-music-distribution-cybercultural/): The challenge for cultural creators in the 2010s is finding an audience. Here's how musicians use TuneCore, an independent music distributer, and create their own narrative in the Spotify era.
- [Rise of Podcasting: Spotify and Google Make Moves](https://cybercultural.com/p/spotify-and-google-make-moves-in-podcasting/): Podcasting is a tiny industry compared to radio, but recent moves by both Spotify and Google are beginning to lay the foundation for podcasting to eat into radio’s massive annual revenue over time.
- [Paradise Lost: How Moreover Won & Lost the Real-Time Web](https://cybercultural.com/p/moreover/): News aggregator Moreover was born in the late 1990s, at the same time as Google, and at one point dominated the real-time news market. So why did Moreover turn its back on the consumer web?
- [Best BigCo of 2011: Amazon](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-bigco-2011-amazon/): Amazon, ReadWriteWeb's best big tech company of 2011, has been around since the dot-com era, but what's most impressive is how it has disrupted entirely new markets over the past year.
- [My Top 10 Web Products of 2011](https://cybercultural.com/p/my-top-10-web-products-of-2011/): I wondered whether my top 10 products for 2011 would look similar to 12 months ago, but it turns out that only 3 of the same products made the cut again. Most of my favorite Web products this year are new.
- [Best LittleCo of 2011: Dropbox](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-littleco-2011-dropbox/): This year's best web startup has become the leading service in a rapidly growing market: the Consumer Cloud. Our Best LittleCo is Dropbox, the popular file backup, sync and sharing service.
- [Best BigCo of 2010: Facebook](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-bigco-2010-facebook/): Facebook passed 400 million active users in February and continued its ascent throughout the year. Its astounding growth shut out all competition as an all-purpose social network.
- [Best LittleCo of 2010: Tumblr](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-littleco-2010-tumblr/): The rise of Tumblr, Posterous and other 'light blogging' services was one of the top trends of 2010. Our pick for best startup of 2010, Tumblr, now boasts over 11 million blogs running on its service.
- [My Top 10 Web Products of 2010](https://cybercultural.com/p/my-top-10-web-products-of-2010/): Here's my own personal top 10 list of my favorite products of 2010. I'm not claiming these are the best products of the year, only that they're the products I used and loved the most.
- [Best LittleCo of 2009 and Most Promising](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-littleco-2009/): For our best startup, we've chosen a small company whose product launched in 2009 and quickly became a leading example of one of the biggest trends we identified this year: the real-time web.
- [Best BigCo of 2009: Google](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-bigco-2009-google/): Google is without question the predominant Internet company of our time; in large part because it continues to innovate and stay one step ahead of its competition. It proved that again in 2009.
- [My Interview With Tim Berners-Lee, June 2009](https://cybercultural.com/p/tim-berners-lee-interview-2009/): During a trip to Cambridge, MA in June 2009, I visit the MIT headquarters of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). There I interview its director, and the web's inventor, Tim Berners-Lee.
- [Best LittleCo of 2008 and Most Promising](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-littleco-2008/): For best web startup of 2008, we chose a 'little company that could' in the enterprise space. Our pick for Most Promising is something you could be using a lot on your mobile phone next year.
- [Top 10 Web Platforms of 2008](https://cybercultural.com/p/top-10-web-platforms-2008/): 2008 has seen a proliferation of new Web platforms, including a few major ones built using open standards. This is ReadWriteWeb's selection of the top 10 Web platforms of the year.
- [Best BigCo of 2008: Apple](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-bigco-2008-apple/): The launch of the Apple App Store in 2008 led to over 10,000 iPhone applications by the end of the year. 2008 also saw the launch of Google's competing Android Market and its Chrome web browser.
- [Top 10 Web Tech Stories of 2007](https://cybercultural.com/p/2007-top-10-web-tech-stories/): 2007 was an eventful year in web technology, with the rise of Facebook, some frenzied acquisitions from the likes of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, and of course the launch of iPhone.
- [Top Web Apps and Websites of 2007](https://cybercultural.com/p/top-web-apps-2007/): I've been re-organizing my Firefox bookmarks, which made me reflect on which web apps and sites I've used the most this year. I've tested many more, but you can't go past the usage metric.
- [Best Web LittleCo of 2007: Twitter](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-web-littleco-2007-twitter/): The simple idea of Twitter is to express what you are doing right now, in 140 characters or less. It has captured the imagination and become a new hybrid of chat, social networking and blogging.
- [Best Web BigCo of 2007: Facebook](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-web-bigco-2007-facebook/): Last year this Silicon Valley based company was not among our BigCo list — it was shortlisted for Best LittleCo! In 2007 that all changed though. Facebook beats Google as our most influential BigCo.
- [Best Web LittleCo of 2006: YouTube](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-web20-littleco-2006-youtube/): The third annual ReadWriteWeb roundup of the best Web 2.0 companies. Starting this year, I seperated it into two posts: best big company, and best little company plus most promising startup.
- [Best Web BigCo of 2006: Google](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-web20-bigco-2006-google/): The third annual ReadWriteWeb roundup of the best Web 2.0 companies. Starting this year, I seperated it into two posts: best big company, and best little company plus most promising startup.
- [2006 Web Technology Trends](https://cybercultural.com/p/2006-web-technology-trends/): 2006 has been the year of the social network. MySpace, YouTube and Facebook were three outstanding success stories; and there was strong growth in existing web 2.0 networks like Flickr and del.icio.us.
- [Best Web Companies and Innovators of 2005](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-web20-companies-2005/): The second annual ReadWriteWeb roundup of the best Web 2.0 companies. This was a few months after my first visit to Silicon Valley, to attend the second Web 2.0 Conference in San Francisco.
- [Top Ten Web 2.0 Moments of 2005](https://cybercultural.com/p/top-10-web20-moments-2005/): My list of the top ten defining moments for the Web in 2005, a breakout year for the Web 2.0 trend; originally posted to my ZDNet blog, Web 2.0 Explorer, a side-job as I ramped up ReadWriteWeb.
- [Best Web 2.0 Companies of 2004](https://cybercultural.com/p/best-web20-companies-2004/): The first annual ReadWriteWeb roundup of the best Web 2.0 companies. This was soon after the first Web 2.0 Conference, which gave a name to a new generation of web technology.
- [One Year On: 1-Year Anniversary of ReadWriteWeb](https://cybercultural.com/p/one-year-blogging-anniversary-2004/): Looking back on the past 12 months, weblogging has done me a world of good. It's been my creative outlet, it woke up my previously-dormant writing genes, I've met a lot of interesting people...
- [The Read/Write Web](https://cybercultural.com/p/the-readwriteweb-2003/): The first ever blog post I wrote on my tech blog, ReadWriteWeb. My manifesto for the years to come: The Read/Write Web is the next generation of web publishing, and we're in the middle of creating it.

## Year archives

Every article tagged with the year it covers.

- [1968](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1968/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1968 — the year Douglas Engelbart gave the Mother of All Demos in San Francisco.
- [1969](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1969/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1969 — the oN-Line System, ARPANET, and the year after the Mother of All Demos.
- [1990](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1990/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1990 — the year Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau built the first web browser at CERN.
- [1991](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1991/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1991 — the web goes public, and the hypertext community is unimpressed.
- [1992](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1992/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1992 — the web versus Gopher, and the first browsers written outside CERN.
- [1993](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1993/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1993 — Mosaic, CGI scripts, MTV.com and the first web designers.
- [1994](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1994/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1994 — Netscape, Yahoo, CD-ROMs, and the web as a publishing medium.
- [1995](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1995/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1995 — JavaScript, PHP, Apache, GeoCities, and the Netscape IPO.
- [1996](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1996/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1996 — Flash, CSS, ActiveX, RealAudio and the rise of the portals.
- [1997](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1997/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1997 — DHTML, the first browser war, streaming video, and three schools of web design.
- [1998](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1998/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1998 — BowieNet, Mozilla, the portal wars, and Google's first year as a company.
- [1999](https://cybercultural.com/tags/1999/): Cybercultural's coverage of 1999 — Blogger, Napster, Google, Second Life and the peak of the bubble.
- [2000](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2000/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2000 — the dot-com crash, the RSS format wars, Napster's legal troubles and early blogging.
- [2001](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2001/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2001 — iTunes, the Wayback Machine, Wikipedia, and blogging after September 11.
- [2002](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2002/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2002 — the blogosphere takes shape, RSS 2.0, Last.fm and the second iPod.
- [2003](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2003/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2003 — Read/Write Web begins, MySpace and Friendster, RSS readers and MP3 blogs.
- [2004](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2004/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2004 — Flickr, Gmail, Facebook, the first Web 2.0 Conference and the birth of a term.
- [2005](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2005/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2005 — YouTube, Reddit, the Flickr and MySpace acquisitions, and the Web 2.0 Conference.
- [2006](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2006/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2006 — YouTube, Twitter's launch, Amazon Web Services and the user-generated content boom.
- [2007](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2007/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2007 — the iPhone, Twitter's breakout, Tumblr and the golden age of microblogging.
- [2008](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2008/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2008 — the App Store, the financial crisis, and ReadWriteWeb's first acquisition talks.
- [2009](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2009/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2009 — Twitter goes mainstream, Chrome arrives, and big tech takes hold of Web 2.0.
- [2010](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2010/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2010 — Instagram, the iPad, the rise of social referral traffic, and SXSW.
- [2011](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2011/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2011 — Google+, the last Web 2.0 Summit, and the sale of ReadWriteWeb.
- [2012](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2012/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2012 — the end of Web 2.0, ReadWrite after the sale, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr.
- [2013](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2013/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2013 — David Bowie's unexpected return, and a website reactivated after years of silence.
- [2016](https://cybercultural.com/tags/2016/): Cybercultural's coverage of 2016 — the end of David Bowie's web presence, and what was left of BowieNet.

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