Where did the old web go? We followed 657,607 links to find out

Re:Where did the old web go? We followed 657,607 links to fi... by mkjs on Friday August 14, 2026 @02:44AM (#49295399)

The best way I can explain it is that the old web was like going to thousands of individual boutiques, and the new web is like going to a dozen or so big supermarkets. Even if the boutiques were sometimes bad, at least they were unique and you could feel there was a real person behind each of them. The supermarkets sell everything, but they feel sterile and bland.

Yes you can still find roughly all the same stuff. No it's not the same.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Where did the old web go? We followed 657,607 links to fi... by Razengan on Friday August 14, 2026 @04:52AM (#49296185)

  No it's not the same.

You can still buy a domain name, host your website somewhere, and tell people about it, no?

When was the last time you actually visited any of the Old Web websites? I just found that Diaryland and Halfbakery are still around, over 20 years old, but it's been years since I visited them

Even though there was a lot of forced enshittification, the tech did not really force people to change: it's that fewer people feel the need to be the way they used to be.

and that can change again

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Where did the old web go? We followed 657,607 links to fi... by inigyou on Friday August 14, 2026 @04:54AM (#49296195)

Three. Three big supermarkets.

[ Parent | on HN ]