It's pretty safe to say that the Internet has evolved pretty dramatically year by year since its introduction into the mainstream 21 years ago, whether for good or bad. In your opinion, which year did you feel the Internet was at its most positive, either for contextual impact, available features, convenience, quality of sites, or any other factors?

For me personally, I would have to declare 2006 as the finest year to browse the web. This was roughly the earliest time that broadband was standard, a huge relief for anybody who remembered the painful waits of the dial-up age. It was also the first full year Wikipedia was firmly established, and while YouTube and Facebook just started to grow in popularity at the time, not to mention Twitter was first launched, social media still far from the point of taking over the world, especially considering the iPhone wasn't even invented yet. Even MySpace, from what I remember, was just as much an independent music haven (it launched the careers of the excellent Arctic Monkeys) as it was a "place for friends," not to mention it was nothing like Twitter and Facebook are now. Besides that, Internet forums were arguably at their peak, and in general, online conversations were relegated to actual, intelligent exchanges as opposed to just a war zone of impulsive exclamations like the comment sections you see on just about any website nowadays. For those who wanted to chat with their friends with a computer, there was always the option of AIM (which I remember far more fondly than I've ever remembered Facebook Messenger). As a whole, 2006 is my favorite year for the Internet because it perfectly balanced the convenience of the web without the excesses of present-day social media.

The mid 2000s were like the best time for the Internet.

1989, when Tim Berners Lee invented the World Wide Web.

The mid 2000s were like the best time for the Internet.


I would say 2000-2005.

I would say 2000-2005.


It's more like 2003-2007 to me.

I wouldn't know. I occasionally used the internet until 2007. The times I was present from 2000-2006, the internet did have nice vibes to it. Onwards was just nice vibes due to catching the peak of specific sites.

Childhood wise and pre-social media (being as popular as recent years/today), 2003-2007 by a long mile. It was very balanced like #Infinity mentioned. If I had to pick one year though. It's tied at 2003/2004 for me. I don't know why I'm going back so early before Youtube, Myspace, or Facebook blew up, but I just remember how different the internet felt then. When websites like RuneScape, Planet Hot Wheels, and Shockwave were in its prime.

It's pretty safe to say that the Internet has evolved pretty dramatically year by year since its introduction into the mainstream 21 years ago, whether for good or bad. In your opinion, which year did you feel the Internet was at its most positive, either for contextual impact, available features, convenience, quality of sites, or any other factors?

For me personally, I would have to declare 2006 as the finest year to browse the web. This was roughly the earliest time that broadband was standard, a huge relief for anybody who remembered the painful waits of the dial-up age. It was also the first full year Wikipedia was firmly established, and while YouTube and Facebook just started to grow in popularity at the time, not to mention Twitter was first launched, social media still far from the point of taking over the world, especially considering the iPhone wasn't even invented yet. Even MySpace, from what I remember, was just as much an independent music haven (it launched the careers of the excellent Arctic Monkeys) as it was a "place for friends," not to mention it was nothing like Twitter and Facebook are now. Besides that, Internet forums were arguably at their peak, and in general, online conversations were relegated to actual, intelligent exchanges as opposed to just a war zone of impulsive exclamations like the comment sections you see on just about any website nowadays. For those who wanted to chat with their friends with a computer, there was always the option of AIM (which I remember far more fondly than I've ever remembered Facebook Messenger). As a whole, 2006 is my favorite year for the Internet because it perfectly balanced the convenience of the web without the excesses of present-day social media.


I totally agree with you about 2006. It was a truly revolutionary time for the internet where many of the services we take for granted today were just getting their start. At the time it all seemed fresh. I remember watching a video on YouTube for the first time that January, posting for the first time here on InThe00s that February, and starting my first account on MySpace that spring. Plus, our area finally got broadband internet access that June for the first time, which really opened up a whole new world to me online that I really couldn't have experienced back in the dial-up days. If I had to pick a single year as my favorite, I would go with 2006 as well.

Also, though, I have a lot of nostalgia for late '90s internet as well. 1998 was the year I went on the Web for the first time, and sometimes I kinda miss the more "innocent" simplicity of that era. Even though the internet was already popular, it was much "smaller" back then, and didn't give you the ability to just look up any information at the touch of a button like you can now. I have very fond memories of "surfing" sites like Ask Jeeves, Lycos, Geocities, MSN, and Angelfire, all on my Netscape Navigator 4.0 browser. 8)

I'm going to triple the specific mention of 2006, much for the same reasons, and I'd like to include 2007 as well.

It was the post dial-up age, so most websites and their functions were sufficiently advanced. You had all the information of the world just a click away.

Message boards like this one and MSN chats were popular ways to communicate, and I'll always have fond memories of those. A lot of the kids at school had blogs, kind of sad to see most these things go the way of the dodo.

The main things missing are music and movie streaming services, online learning websites like Khan Academy, Coursera, Lynda, MIT Open Courseware etc. and Q&A websites like Stack Overflow and Quora (I mean, there was Yahoo! Answers, but lol). The social aspects of the Internet have been in decline though, in my opinion.

I'm going to triple the specific mention of 2006, much for the same reasons, and I'd like to include 2007 as well.

It was the post dial-up age, so most websites and their functions were sufficiently advanced. You had all the information of the world just a click away.

Message boards like this one and MSN chats were popular ways to communicate, and I'll always have fond memories of those. A lot of the kids at school had blogs, kind of sad to see most these things go the way of the dodo.

The main things missing are music and movie streaming services, online learning websites like Khan Academy, Coursera, Lynda, MIT Open Courseware etc. and Q&A websites like Stack Overflow and Quora (I mean, there was Yahoo! Answers, but lol). The social aspects of the Internet have been in decline though, in my opinion.


I still use messageboards as of today.  :)

I'm going to triple the specific mention of 2006, much for the same reasons, and I'd like to include 2007 as well.

It was the post dial-up age, so most websites and their functions were sufficiently advanced. You had all the information of the world just a click away.

Message boards like this one and MSN chats were popular ways to communicate, and I'll always have fond memories of those. A lot of the kids at school had blogs, kind of sad to see most these things go the way of the dodo.

The main things missing are music and movie streaming services, online learning websites like Khan Academy, Coursera, Lynda, MIT Open Courseware etc. and Q&A websites like Stack Overflow and Quora (I mean, there was Yahoo! Answers, but lol). The social aspects of the Internet have been in decline though, in my opinion.


I think the Internet was just fine without that in 2006. Even though Yahoo's services were really popular at the time.

I still use messageboards as of today.  :)


Same here! :)


I think the Internet was just fine without that in 2006. Even though Yahoo's services were really popular at the time.


I'd have to disagree. I like those things, a lot.  :o

In 2007 I asked Yahoo! Answers how to be more cool, and they said I should copy the way all the cool actors on TV act. It worked tbh.

I'd have to disagree. I like those things, a lot.  :o


As somebody who uses Netflix, I tend to think that post wasn't that good. So I was kinda hypocritical from that point.


In 2007 I asked Yahoo! Answers how to be more cool, and they said I should copy the way all the cool actors on TV act. It worked tbh.


No wonder why you sometimes act modern.

Late 00's and early 10's, around 2007 to 2011. I liked those doom and gloom videos on Youtube!  :P

Late 00's and early 10's, around 2007 to 2011. I liked those doom and gloom videos on Youtube!  :P


We still have those videos on YouTube, except they're more miserable and it has terrible comment sections.

We still have those videos on YouTube, except they're more miserable and it has terrible comment sections.


Yes, the comments section attract trolls, a lot.

Yes, the comments section attract trolls, a lot.


those are the people who aren't subscribed to the channel.

Yes, the comments section attract trolls, a lot.


They already do it for sh*ts and giggles.


those are the people who aren't subscribed to the channel.


People could genuinely enjoy the videos without subscribing to them.

Late 00's and early 10's, around 2007 to 2011. I liked those doom and gloom videos on Youtube!  :P


2007-2012 was the Golden age of meltdowns. I think Final Fantasy 13 being announced for the Xbox 360 remains my favourite day on the Internet.

https://www.upload.ee/image/1431925/Scream.gif

They already do it for sh*ts and giggles.

People could genuinely enjoy the videos without subscribing to them.


I subscribe to a lot of channels but I don't troll.

I subscribe to a lot of channels but I don't troll.


I subscribe to a lot of them too (104 as of now), but I don't troll on their comment sections either.

2007 for me, that's just the year I enjoyed it most, played a lot of random games, YouTube felt more creative, and I actually enjoyed searching images on Google (that part might be more 2006). ;D

I subscribe to a lot of them too (104 as of now), but I don't troll on their comment sections either.


I subscribed to 7 channels.

I subscribed to 7 channels.


Well okay.

2007-2012 was the Golden age of meltdowns. I think Final Fantasy 13 being announced for the Xbox 360 remains my favourite day on the Internet.

https://www.upload.ee/image/1431925/Scream.gif


Is she going to eat me? I might eat her.

those are the people who aren't subscribed to the channel.


Am I subscribed to the channel?

Am I subscribed to the channel?


Subscribe to Super Deluxe!!

IVPAkv0V9Ak

2008, but that was when I saw one of the most beautifully made fan made videos that unfortunately got taken down either by the user or by copyright  :\'(

Am I subscribed to the channel?


If you are logged into YouTube you can check your Subscriptions.