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retroweb:about [2020-09-14 03:51]
omolini
retroweb:about [2021-03-05 05:01] (current)
omolini
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 | [[:​retroweb|Main]] | >>​**[[:​retroweb:​about|About]]**<<​ | [[:​retroweb:​features|Features]] | [[:​retroweb:​screenshots|Screenshots]] | [[:​retroweb:​getting started|Getting Started]] | [[:​retroweb:​wiki|Wiki]] | [[:​retroweb:​Team]] |  | [[:​retroweb|Main]] | >>​**[[:​retroweb:​about|About]]**<<​ | [[:​retroweb:​features|Features]] | [[:​retroweb:​screenshots|Screenshots]] | [[:​retroweb:​getting started|Getting Started]] | [[:​retroweb:​wiki|Wiki]] | [[:​retroweb:​Team]] | 
  
-====== About Retroweb ​======+<WRAP center round info 60%> 
 +==== Protoweb now has a new website! ==== 
 +Check out our new website at www.protoweb.org.  
 + 
 +These pages are left for archive purposes only. 
 +</​WRAP>​ 
 + 
 +====== About ProtoWeb ​====== 
 {{ :​retroweb:​scn-w95-internet-setup.png?​nolink |}} {{ :​retroweb:​scn-w95-internet-setup.png?​nolink |}}
  
-There is a growing interest in computing history, computer networking and how it all came to be. In early 2000'​s ​I started noticing a increase ​of early historically significant ​web sites going offlineI didn'​t ​want an important part of our culture disappear, so around 2011 I started ​a long-term project with the goal of preserving web sites that are disappearing and primarily focus on archiving, ​and later on build a comprehensive service, where archived web sites can be browsed and searched as if they were still online. Over the years I've placed a special emphasis on preserving the look and feel of the early Internet experience as close as possible. For the scope of the project, mid-to-late 1990'​s ​was chosen. There are several ​other reasons this timeline was chosen.+There is a growing interest in computing history, computer networking and how it all came to be. In early 2000'​s ​we began observing an increase ​in old web sites going extinctWe did not want an important part of our culture disappear, so around 2011 a long term project ​was started ​with the goal of preserving ​these web sites. At first we focused purely ​on archiving ​web sitesbut later began building ​a comprehensive service ​that allowed access to this this newly found content 
 + 
 +For the scope of the project, ​we chose to preserve web sites mostly from around ​mid-to-late 1990'​s. There are several reasons this timeline was chosen:
  
   - Internet experienced a strong global expansion around this time, with half the population in the US accessing the Internet on a regular basis.   - Internet experienced a strong global expansion around this time, with half the population in the US accessing the Internet on a regular basis.
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   - There are more resources available for purposes of restoration and archival.   - There are more resources available for purposes of restoration and archival.
  
 +Our service differs from other web archival projects such as Internet Archive'​s Wayback Machine at [[http://​www.archive.org/​|archive.org]] in some key aspects. ​
 +  - We're focused on recreating the 1990's Internet user experience as an online interactive museum.
 +  - The web sites are restored in an effort to make them completely functional. Links and images are manually fixed and several sources are combined to form a historically accurate representation. For this reason, the service can be utilized as a reference to study the formation of the World Wide Web and can be used in interactive computing museum exhibits and personal hobbyist projects.
 +  - The web sites are browsable with original period correct hardware.
 +  - HTTP and FTP sites are supported and more are being added.
 +  - Dynamic website content, such as web searches, website visitor counters, web rings are supported and more support being added.
 +  - Historical archives are scoured to restore file download links, including software drivers, applications and games.
  
-{{ :​guides:​pics:​netscape-navigator-4-0-header-2.png?nolink |}}+The project'​s aim is to emulate the look and feel of the early Internet and keep preserved content historically accurate to provide a guide for future generationsWe prioritize the accessibility of our service, and put a lot of effort in making the website appear as if they were still online, including work put into restoring dynamic content (website counters, search engines, web rings, guest books...)
  
-There are some aspects our service ​differs from other web archival sites such as the Wayback Machine at [[http://​www.archive.org/​|archive.org]].  +It is a service ​that can be utilized by computing history organizations for purposes of demonstrating ​the early World Wide Web, and by vintage computer enthusiastsIt allows users and interested parties ​to browse the Internet with classic ​web browsersThat is the essence of ProtoWeb, and the service is developing, as more web sites are brought online thanks to the Internet history enthusiasts who are working hard to contribute content and fix broken links.
-  - The web sites are restored to be completely functional. Broken links and images are fixed, and manual work is put using several sources ​to restore full functionality.  +
-  - The web sites are browseable with original period correct hardware. +
-  - Several protocols (including HTTP and FTP) are supported, and more are added over time. +
-  - Dynamic website contentsuch as web searches ​are supported. +
-  - File downloads ​are restored.+
  
-The project'​s aim is to preserve the user experience of visiting web sites historically accurate, and provide a guide for future generations. It is a service that can be freely used by computing history organizations for purposes of demonstrating the early Internet, and by vintage computer enthusiasts. It allows users and interested parties to browse the Internet with classic web browsers, and experience the early Internet as it was in it's early iteration. That is the essence of Retroweb, and the service is developing, as more web sites are brought online thanks to the Internet history enthusiasts who are working hard to contribute content and fix broken links.+{{ :​guides:​pics:​netscape-navigator-4-0-header-2.png?nolink |}}
  
 ===== Quality over Quantity ===== ===== Quality over Quantity =====
  
-PROTONET ​was never meant to be an extensive ​archive. It's purpose is mainly to focus on accuracy of the user experience and present the archived content as it was. Over time the the archive ​has grown as we've reconstructed ​and recovered ​files from a plethora of sources, and we've worked ​tirelessly to restore website functionality including dynamic content such as search engines, guest books and visitor counters. Emphasis has also been given to finding and restoring rare downloads, and they have been made available along with the pages that link to them. FTP sites that no longer exist are made available through the service and are free to use.+ProtoWeb ​was never meant to be an all-encompassing ​archive ​of data. It's purpose is mainly to focus on accuracy of the user experience and present the archived content as close as possible to original to the end user. Over time the list of accessible websites ​has grown as our volunteer team reconstructs ​and recovers ​files from a plethora of sources, and we're working ​tirelessly to restore ​full website functionality including dynamic content such as search engines, guest books, web rings, ​visitor counters ​and much more. Emphasis has also been given to finding and restoring rare downloads, and they have been made available along with the pages that link to them. FTP sites that no longer exist are made available through the service and all resources on ProtoWeb ​are free to use.
  
-===== A Team Effort ​Preserving ​The Past =====+===== A Team Effort ​To Preserve ​The Past =====
  
-The project is no minor undertaking,​ however ​the Protonet team remain committed to bringing these web sites back online and restore them to their former glory. The project would not be possible without ​your help. If you have resources, ​web sites to contribute, please contact us and we'd be happy to add it as part of Protonet.+The project is no minor undertaking,​ however ​at ProtoWeb, we remain committed to our work in restoring the classic ​web back to its former glory. The project would not be possible without ​our volunteers' ​help. If you have websites to contribute, classic ​resources, ​data archives, or are eager to help us restore websites, please contact us! We appreciate the help of our fellow digital curators.
  
  
 ---- ----
-=== Questions? Comments? ​===+==== Get In Touch With Us! ====
  
-[[http://​www.facebook.com/​groups/​retroweb|{{:​images:​social-facebook.png?​nolink|}}]]+[[http://​www.facebook.com/​groups/​protoweb|{{:​images:​social-facebook.png?​nolink|}}]]
 [[https://​discord.gg/​4w6CpZ8|{{:​images:​social-discord.png?​nolink|}}]] [[https://​discord.gg/​4w6CpZ8|{{:​images:​social-discord.png?​nolink|}}]]
  
 {{tag>​Guides Guides:​Networking}} {{tag>​Guides Guides:​Networking}}
  
retroweb/about.1600055465.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020-09-14 03:51 by omolini