Hands up if you prefer the world's first website to what's come since
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.You find your moments of clarity in funny places on the internet, but the restoration of the world’s first website and its url is one of those moments that simultaneously makes you realise both how far we’ve come and that we may have been going in the wrong direction all along.
Just look at it. Those simple blue links, gazing at you provocatively, daring you to hover your mouse over them and click through to the mysteries they contain. That bold, steadfast <h1> - “Technical Details” it proclaims, with an intoxicating simplicity that belies its historic status. Somewhere in our journey from there to here, we managed to go through flashing gifs, flashing ads, swooshing effects and wizzy responsive design (and then back to flashing gifs again) with all the untrammelled and ultimately graceless enthusiasm of a toddler taking his first steps.
It might do us good to remember that when it comes to the web, as with elsewhere in life, sometimes less is more.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments