The World Wide Web, also referred to as Web 1.0 or the static web, was formally introduced by Internet service providers (ISPs) in 1992. Internet service providers (ISPs) offer both businesses and individual’s internet access. At first, Internet Web 1.0 was supported by Internet Explorer and Netscape. The term “Web 1.0” refers to the initial phase of the World Wide Web’s development, which spanned approximately 1991 to 2004. Personal websites were popular, mostly made up of static pages hosted on free web hosting platforms or on web servers managed by ISPs.
There are seven main characteristics of Web 1.0.
1.Static Pages:
The static nature of web pages meant that they were not updated or changed automatically. Every page was made separately in HTML and stayed the same until the webmaster updated them by hand.
2. Content on Server:
The content is retrieved directly from the server’s file system instead of being pulled from a relational database management system.
3. Web Applications:
Pages created with the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) or Server Side are included as an alternative to web applications written in dynamic languages like PHP, Ruby, Perl, or Python. The Internet was primarily a one-way channel for communication.
4. GIF & Tables:
The use of HTML 3.2-era elements, such as frames and tables, to position and align elements on a page was common, often in combination with spacer GIFs.
5. Online Guest Books
Online Guest Books are available on Web 1.0. Guest books have been a staple of websites since the early days of the internet. These online guest books, often associated with Web 1.0, provided a platform for visitors to leave comments and feedback about a website.
6. GIF’s Button
GIF buttons are small, typically 88 x 31 pixels in size, and they are used to promote web browsers, operating systems, text editors, and various other products through graphics.
7. E-mail Support
HTML forms that are emailed. During this time, shared servers hardly ever supported server side scripting. Mailto forms were used to give website visitors a way to provide feedback.
Differences between Web 1.0 & Web 3.0
Web 1.0 (Early 1990s to early 2000s) was characterized by static content, limited interactivity, simple design, read-only access, and primitive navigation.
Web 3.0, also known as the Semantic Web, leverages semantic technologies for intelligent data processing. It features dynamic, interactive content, user collaboration, AI, and machine learning integration, enhanced interoperability, and improved security and privacy.
- Content and Interaction:
Web 3.0 includes dynamic, interactive content with a great deal of user participation and collaboration, while Web 1.0 features static, read-only content with little interaction.
- Technology:
Web 3.0 leverages sophisticated AI, machine learning, and semantic technologies to comprehend and process data intelligently, whereas Web 1.0 relies on simple HTML.
- User Experience:
Web 3.0 offers personalized, context-aware interactions and intelligent recommendations, whereas Web 1.0 offers a simple, one-way user experience.
- Interoperability:
Web 3.0 places a strong emphasis on connectivity and interoperability across various systems and devices, whereas Web 1.0 websites functioned independently.
- Security and privacy:
Web 3.0 prioritizes improved security and privacy, frequently utilizing decentralized technologies to safeguard user data, in contrast to Web 1.0’s minimal security measures.
- Examples:
Early versions of Yahoo!, AOL, and GeoCities. Advanced AI-driven platforms, personalized content recommendations on services like Netflix, and applications utilizing semantic search capabilities.
These variations show how technology and user experience have advanced significantly from Web 1.0’s static, read-only web to Web 3.0’s intelligent, dynamic, and interactive web.
