Timeline: Evolution of the internet

Period: Jan 1, 1982 to Sep 2, 2015

internet evolution

Jan 1, 1983

internet was created

ARPANET adopted TCP/IP and from there researchers began to assemble the “network of networks” that became the modern Internet.citation

Nov 12, 1990

creation of the World Wide Web

Tim Berners-Lee develops the first Web browser WorldWideWeb.Citation

Jul 18, 1992

First photo on the internet

Tim Berners-Lee posts the first photo, of the band “Les Horribles Cernettes,” on the Web.citation

Sep 2, 1994

one of the first purchases on the internet

One of the first known Web purchases takes place: a pepperoni pizza with mushrooms and extra cheese from Pizza Hut.citation

Oct 27, 1994

first banner ad

The first banner ad for hotwired.com appears, with the text “Have you ever clicked your mouse right HERE? —> YOU WILL.”citation

Jul 5, 1995

amazon starts

Amazon.com opens for business, billing itself as the “Earth’s Biggest Bookstore.”citation

Sep 3, 1995

ebay is founded

Entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar launches eBay, originally named “AuctionWeb.” He lists the first item for sale: a broken laser pointer. A collector purchases it for $14.83.citation

Sep 30, 1995

first online dating site

Match.com, the first online dating site, launches.citation

Sep 2, 1996

first phone with internet usage

Nokia releases the Nokia 9000 Communicator, the first cellphone with internet capabilities.citation

Jan 1, 1997

netfkix is created

Netflix launches as a company that sends DVDs to homes via mail.citation

Jun 4, 1999

Napster starts

MP3 downloading service Napster launches, overloading high-speed networks in college dormitories. Many colleges ban the service and it is later shut down for enabling the illegal sharing of music files.citation

Jan 15, 2001

wikipedia starts

Jimmy Wales launches Wikipedia. Users write over 20,000 encyclopedia entries in the first year.citationJ

Apr 28, 2003

itunes starts

Apple launches the iTunes Music Store with 200,000 songs at 99¢ each. The store sells one million songs in its first week.citation

Feb 4, 2004

facebook starts

Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg launches thefacebook.com. 1,200 Harvard students sign up within the first 24 hours. Facebook goes on to become the world’s biggest social networking site, with over a billion users worldwide.citation

Feb 14, 2005

youtube is created

YouTube is founded on Valentine’s Day. The first video, an explanation of what’s cool about elephants, is uploaded by co-founder Jawed Karim on April 23. Google acquires the company a year later.citation