The Development of the Internet

Part II and Part IV of the documentary “Download: The True Story of the Internet” provides an insightful look at the emergence of search engines like Yahoo and Google as well as the rise of the Internet as a power tool. I was impressed to know that before Google, the Internet was difficult to navigate and middling in obtaining information. Luckily, as time progressed, search engines began to optimize their resources by becoming better sites than their predecessors. With time came improvements and companies like Yahoo and Excite paved the way for Google, the first search engine to not overly saturate their site with advertising. Thus, it is interesting to note how search engines have become a prominent tool for marketers and the general audience.

In addition to the emergence of search engines, the decline of old media and the rise of a new form of communication via the Internet paved the way for people to embrace their creativity and opinion with sights like YouTube, Blogger, Facebook, etc.

Interesting events marked a pivotal role in the development of the Internet as we know it today, some of which include: the revolutionary impact of Yahoo by being the first search engine site to successfully make revenue through advertisements; the development of Google through the linkage of sites by making content easily searchable and universal; the decline of traditional media and the up rise of a new form of media through sites like YouTube, MySpace, Blogger and Facebook; the invention of the MP3; and the creation of the fastest spreading software, Napster.

Some of the common themes that emerged from both videos were the creation of prominent sites like Yahoo and Google from “Internet Utopians”/young students at Stanford University (i.e. David Filo, Jerry Yang, Sergey Brin, and Larry Page) who saw the web as a blank canvas full of opportunities; the need to obtain financial investors for their emerging projects; and the adaptation of certain processes from other search engines (i.e. Google’s mimicking of GoTo’s keyword search). These commonalities not only made advances to the Internet but also created controversy.

All in all, these videos show the trajectory of the Internet and the outcome of various ingenious choices. Today, everyone is connected to the world via the web and the need to be the best search engine or social media site continues. Currently, the web offers a form of medium for people to express themselves and become an author in a click of a button. For this reason, it is reasonable to assume that stronger search engines and social media sites will continue to be developed in an effort to meet the need of consumers and be the first at the top of the list.

For more information, please visit: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/download-true-story-internet/ew to view Parts II and IV of "Download: The True Story of the Internet.”