Old-Timey Internet
January 22, 2021 - Remember what the internet used to look like? For today’s post I am highlighting a free resource on the internet that is so interesting and so large that I cannot possibly cover it in just one post. It’s called The Internet Archive. Do yourself a favor and check out this vast archive that contains lots and lots (and lots!) of books, movies, old television broadcasts, and much more…even an archive of old video games and software. Yes, you heard me right: An archive of old software! I personally didn’t realize there were such things until I discovered The Internet Archive.
In this post, I will focus on one feature from this archive: The Way Back Machine. This search engine allows you to search websites and discover how they looked over time. You can search for a website and experience how it looked and functioned as far back as the 1990s. It’s an amazing way to see how the internet has progressed.
I encourage you to take a look at a website you visit and have some fun exploring. For example, shall we look at the Camas Public Library’s website through the ages? Check out the images below to take a stroll down memory lane. Also, there a AOL homepage from 1998. What feelings does that invoke in you?
When I see this I think of the sound of a dial up modem and a slowly-loading webpage. Seeing ads for CDNOW and AOL Instant Messenger sends me back in time and makes me realize how much has changed!
The Way Back Machine is a lot of fun and I encourage you to check it out. The internet evolves so quickly, it’s sometimes hard to remember the ways things used to be. Fortunately, we have the Way Back Machine to remind us. Enjoy!
Elliot Stapleton, Library Associate
Jan. 22nd, 2021
