PricklyPear Media

A Brief History
 of Web Design

Internet: The InterGalactic Computer Network

The term Internet sprang from a term first used by J.C.R. Licklider in 1963, the "Intergalactic Computer Network".1 Although the Internet was available to governments and educational institutions, it remained hidden from the general public until the 1970s when the introduction of the microprocessor made the development of personal computers possible. Still, Internet access was at best limited until 1991 when Tim Berners-Lee combined Internet communication with hypertext, which resulted in the birth of the World Wide Web (WWW).2

The World Wide Web

In May of 1990, Berners-Lee published version 2 of "Information Management: A proposal". At the end of the year, development began for the first browser (called "World Wide Web").3 In 1993, the introduction of the Mosaic Browser and the creation of Internic opened up the web to the world.4

The Birth of Web Design

Early web design was text only, its main feature being the ability to link from page to page or from one website to another. As html (the markup language of websites) developed, web designers were able to add images and tables to web pages. However, table design limited designers to work "within the box". The development of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) in 1996 gave web designers out-of-the-box freedom.

Initially, Internet browsers read CSS differently, so much so that many web designers continued with using tables and frames. Today, CSS is the preferred method of web design layout.

Over the last decade, although still a teenager, web design technology has grown in giant steps.

The adoption of World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards by all major browsers has enabled web design firms, such as PricklyPear Media, to create web sites that precisely fit their clients' requirements and are cross-browser compliant; that is, today's websites render as intended on nearly any computer.

Website content is editable due to the introduction of General Public Licensed (GPL) content management systems (CMSs) such as Drupal, Joomla and WordPress. These systems are supported by large communities which keep them current with technological advancements, provide solutions to problems (bug fixes) and useful documentation.

Photo-editing software continually expands its capabilities, creating new design possibilities. Website owners are no longer satisfied with boilerplate solutions, demanding bespoke designs that accurately and precisely promote their companies and provide their visitors with a rich and robust user experience.

  1. Leiner, Barry M. et al. 2003-12-10. "Origins of the Internet" in A Brief History of the Internet version 3.32" The Internet Society. http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtml#Origins. Retrieved 2010-11-01.
  2. "Berners-Lee on the read/write web" London: BBC News. 2005-08-09. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4132752.stm. Retrieved 2010-11-01.
  3. "timeline-2500X998.png". W3C. 2005-01-05. http://www.w3.org/2005/01/timelines/timeline-2500x998.png. Retrieved 2010-11-01.
  4. "Brief Timeline of the Internet". Webopedia. Quinstreet, 2010. http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/timeline.asp. Retrieved 2010-11-01.

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