There’s no doubt that the Internet is complex. We vary in our understanding, some may have read about the network cables across the ocean floors, some understand code, and maybe even know how to build a website. As consumers, we don’t fully understand the technical aspects behind the Internet. That’s okay, we don't really need to. Yet, it’s important to understand that due to the complexities any product/service you’re using today could disappear tomorrow.
Nearly every Internet user is a collector in some sense. Collecting is something I do obsessively. For me it looks like bookmarking links to read, creating are.na boards for a project, adding videos to my Netflix list, etc. Simple tasks like downloading apps could be considered collecting.
We often discuss the foreverness of the Internet. We’re reminded that once you post on the Internet it’s there forever. That’s true to an extent. Collecting makes me think about the Internet’s longevity or lack of it. I use so many different products and services and collect so much shit on these. Who knows if any of these products could disappear in the next couple of hours?
99% Invisible recently had a great podcast on Geocities. This was a service that users could create webpages on. Eventually, it got bought by Yahoo, went to shit, and got shutdown. Thankfully, a team of researchers put in the work to preserve some sites built on it. The entire podcast was about this type of ending, the death of a product/service. Many may have personal experiences that relate to this. Google has shut down so many products that someone has created a Google Graveyard.
I personally resonate with this. Two examples that resonate with me are both huge influences in my design journey. MySpace enabled me to creatively design a page, even helping others make their pages. The other lesser-known is Gamebattles. This was a competitive gaming site that has since gone to shit. My love for design was really developed here, found in the forum communities where I started creating graphics. I had a lot built on both platforms that’s now lost.
It’s concerning how much faith many of us put into Internet products and services, really without any question on whether the companies behind these are healthy or not. Even those that are technically versed are willing to marry platforms without having this in mind. Just keep in mind that a massive company like Google has pissed off a ton of people for shutting down some really good products.
Projects like the Wayback Machine and the Geocities Archive make me faithful in preserving some of this. Although many are lost forever such as the many MySpace pages gone forever.
Here’s to your collections and their future eulogies.