In the 90’s, web searching was in its most primitive form. Yahoo and All-the-web dominated the arena. Web users were very green with how to use the technology. Many people got online only to check email and the news. Most Web sites had graphics that looked like they had been created in MSPaint that came packaged with their versions of Windows 9x. To navigate the nether regions of the Internet, many people used web directories or web rings.
When Backrub was introduced, it completely rethought how the Internet could be accessed. Complex networking and ways of processing and interpreting the web came out of Stanford. The majority of the Internet browsers know Backrub better as Google.
Yet even with how much of the Internet’s history is known, not one person can say for a fact where it is going. Now that most people have moved from web directories and web rings and become savvy searchers things get increasingly competitive. Google, Yahoo and MSN are the top search engines respectively and each has a different vision of where the internet is going. They all agree the future does involve the integration of different forms of entertainment
Yahoo hired former ABC executive Lloyd Braun and established residences near Hollywood. Around that time they also went live with video searching. Google has a video searching service available as well. However Google plans on moving beyond the home and has been the focus of a firestorm of discussion when wifi.google.com started showing information about their offering free WiFi internet access in San Francisco and plans to go larger. This had been rumored after it was discovered that Google was purchasing large chunks of dark fiber. MSN however seems to be courting AOL. The general user would gain increased access to AOL’s in-depth entertainment services with AOL having exclusive access to an arsenal of high profile concerts notably Live 8 and several of the recent benefit concerts for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Yet in the end, unless the people accept and adopt these advancements, they could go the way of OS/2 Warp.

As one who lived through three Florida hurricanes last year, I know how mesmerizing the Hurricane Center’s online tracking tools can be. People with an Internet connection who live anywhere close to the Gulf/Atlantic states are always clicking on ‘Reload’ when it comes to wind tracking maps and projected paths: http://www.noaa.gov.
With all of this traffic, I’m wondering if the NOAA shouldn’t incorporate sponsorships/AdWords in an effort to raise money for victims. I know that there is a mandate agains profiting from government work, but can’t an exception be made for fundraising purposes? After all, the DMV asks me to donate to campaign funds when I get my license renewed.
Do you think people would have a problem with this? The traffic must be staggering. And with Katrina and Rita in the mix, so will this year’s damage and loss!