How To Search The Web (in 2000)
July 1st, 2010We just subscribed to the Safari computer ebooks database, so I started weeding our print computer book collection. It's a heavily-used collection, but I found a few books that made me laugh.
Not that they were bad books, just out-of-date for the computer field. Case in point is How to search the web, edited by Robert S. Want, ©2000. Flipping through it was a walk down memory lane - heck, right on the cover were listed search engines that I used to use a lot and now had forgotten about (but I do miss Infoseek):
The book itself was obviously useful in its time, and now is an interesting look back at the past. Among other information, it contains b&w screenshots of each of the search engines' homepages, reminding us what the web looked like 10 years ago - directory browsing is certainly less popular these days:
Yahoo Internet Archive, 7/6/00 Yahoo Today |
Ask Jeeves Internet Archive, 7/6/00 Ask Jeeves Today (ask.com) |
AltaVista Internet Archive, 7/6/00 AltaVista Today |
And this was on the shelf in a library that weeds regularly - who knows what gems are waiting in larger libraries that have the space to keep lots of things.
On another note, my parents will be visiting for the Fourth of July, so I won't be posting again until later next week. I hope you have a good holiday (non-Americans, I hope your regular days are good, too).
July 1st, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Happy Canada Day! Hope your Fourth of July weekend is fun and fine.
July 1st, 2010 at 1:24 pm
I like the banner ad for Britney Spears on the Yahoo homepage. Some things don’t change as much as one might think…
July 1st, 2010 at 2:48 pm
You should submit this to Awful Library Books (http://awfullibrarybooks.wordpress.com/). It’s a nice reminder that weeding is not a one-time thing; it should be a constant process. Then maybe you won’t find too many of these gems.
July 1st, 2010 at 4:06 pm
@Winnie: Happy Canada Day to you too!
@Davin: That did make me laugh – I never would have guessed she’s been around for 10 years.
@Marcie: good idea, I just submitted it. Although, this one is less awful and more just out of date. I need to remember to send them the awful ones I find.
July 1st, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Good timing! Only a month ago I weeded our massive – and mostly outdated – computer book section. During the process I ran into such rare gems as “Programming the 386” (and 486), programming FORTRAN, all kinds of DOS books, Windows 3.1 for Dummies, Wordstar, and generally guides to programs that are 20-30 years old (some of which only work on computers whose displays on have two colors). It quickly became clear that the section had not been weeded for a decade or more. Consequently, our shelves were looking so empty that I felt I had to replenish our computer book collection.
The whole experience was amusing and poignant especially considering that I’ll have to do it again in 4 months. Ah, technology.
March 20th, 2011 at 4:42 am
[…] How to Search the Web Image by herzogbr I was weeding our computer books, and came across How to Search the Web, copyright 2000. The list of search engines on the front cover brought back memories – ah, Infoseek. Read more on my website. […]
April 4th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
[…] 2000 Ask Jeeves Homepage Screenshot reprinted in How to Search the Web. Read more on my website. […]
April 12th, 2011 at 7:33 am
[…] Yahoo Homepage Screenshot reprinted in How to Search the Web. Read more on my website. Nice Book Prices photosNice Book Sellers photosNice Recipe Book Make Your Own photosNice The […]