On August 23rd has been established as the Day of the Internaut, in commemoration of the date when the web became a resource accessible to the general public. This day celebrates the opening of the first webpage to the global public, a milestone that occurred in 1991, although the site in question, hosted at CERN, had already been officially launched on August 6th of that same year.
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is a research institute based in Geneva, known primarily for its particle accelerator and its contributions to particle physics. In 1991, Tim Berners-Lee, a physicist at CERN, introduced the first website, designed to facilitate communication between scientists and the exchange of information. Initially, access to this page was restricted to CERN members. It wasn’t until August 23, 1991, that the website was opened to the global public, allowing anyone with access to the internet to visit it.
The original CERN website, still available at the address https://info.cern.ch/, represents the starting point of what is now known as the World Wide Web. This historical resource offers a glimpse into the early days of the web, with its simple design and initial purpose of sharing scientific information.
The evolution of the internet since those early days has been rapid. In the 1990s, the web began to gain popularity with the appearance of the first web browsers and search engines, facilitating access to a vast amount of information. Browsers like Netscape Navigator, launched in 1994, and Microsoft Internet Explorer, which arrived in 1995, were pioneers in creating a more accessible browsing experience for the common user.
In 2024, internet browsing has diversified with the emergence of new browsers and search engines. Modern browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge offer a variety of functions and advanced tools that enhance the browsing experience. As for search engines, Google remains the undisputed leader, while alternatives like Bing, Yahoo!, and DuckDuckGo have also gained popularity, each with unique features that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of users.
The Day of the Internaut, celebrated on August 23rd, not only commemorates global access to the web but also serves as a reminder of the transformative impact that technology and innovation have had on how humanity communicates, researches, and shares information.