A Brief History of the Internet - First Website, First Meme..

Summary

This video explores the key moments in the history of the internet, starting from its origins during the Cold War to modern milestones like the first email, website, and social media posts. It highlights the contributions of figures such as Ray Tomlinson and Tim Berners-Lee, and discusses the evolution of platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. The video also touches on early memes and mobile internet. In the end, concerns about the future of the internet, specifically Article 13, are addressed, urging viewers to take action to protect its freedom.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The internet was initially developed by the U.S. to ensure faster knowledge transfer and survival in case of a Soviet attack after Sputnik’s launch.
• 📧 The first email was sent by Ray Tomlinson in 1971, initially just as an experiment on his own time and was barely recognized by his company.
• 🌐 Tim Berners-Lee created the first website in 1990 to make the internet easier to use by introducing clickable links for a user-friendly experience.
• 🎸 The first photo uploaded to the internet was a fun image of a parody band at CERN, marking an early example of internet-based multimedia sharing.
• 🔎 Web Crawler, launched in 1994, was the first full-text search engine, predating Google, but it soon faded after Google’s rise in popularity.
• 📝 Justin Hall’s “Links from the Underground” in 1994 is considered one of the first personal blogs, even before the term 'blog' was coined in 1997.
• 📱 The Nokia 9000 Communicator in 1996 was the first phone with internet capabilities, marking the start of mobile internet, though limited by high costs.
• 👤 Mahir Çağrı became the first internet celebrity in 1999, with his personal website drawing millions of visitors worldwide.
• 📹 The first YouTube video, uploaded by co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo in 2005, started a cultural shift toward user-generated video content.
• 🙂 The first recognized meme, the smiley face emoticon, was created in 1982 by Scott Fahlman to help convey emotions in text, evolving into the digital memes we know today.

Q & A

What was the original purpose of the Internet?

The Internet was originally born out of sheer panic by the United States after the launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviets. Its aim was to increase the chances of America surviving a catastrophic Soviet nuclear attack and to satisfy the need for faster knowledge transfer.

Who sent the first email and in what year?

The first email was sent by Ray Tomlinson to himself in 1971.

What was the significance of the first website, and who created it?

The first website, created by Tim Berners-Lee in late 1990, was significant because it introduced the concept of the World Wide Web. It allowed users to browse information easily, making the Internet accessible to the average person.

What was the first picture ever uploaded to the web?

The first picture uploaded to the web was a photo of a parody band formed by Tim Berners-Lee's colleagues at CERN. This happened in 1992.

What was the first full-text web search engine, and what happened to it?

The first full-text web search engine was WebCrawler, launched in 1994. It faded into obscurity after the arrival of Google three and a half years later.

Who is considered the first Internet celebrity, and what was his claim to fame?

Mahir Çağrı from Turkey is considered the first Internet celebrity. His website, established in 1999, received over 12 million visits, and he gained significant fame for his quirky content.

What were the first words ever spoken on Skype, and in what language?

The first words spoken on Skype were in Estonian, the language of the country that invented the technology. The English translation was 'Hello, can you hear me?'

Who was the first non-founder to join Facebook, and what was his ID number?

The first non-founder to join Facebook was Ari Hasit, a university student from Israel, with an ID number of 4. The first three accounts were used for testing.

What was the first video uploaded to YouTube, and when was it posted?

The first video uploaded to YouTube was 'Me at the Zoo,' posted by Jawed Karim on April 23, 2005.

What was the first meme, and how did it originate?

The first meme recognizable as a meme today is the 'Dancing Baby,' which originated on October 22, 1996, as part of an experimental 3D character animation software test. It became the first truly viral meme.