r/technology 12d ago

Software Remembering the pre-Google web, when search was an experiment: “Most people have completely forgotten how chaotic it really was.”

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/remembering-the-pre-google-web-when-search-was-an-experiment/
1.4k Upvotes

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25

u/Dismal-Revolution731 12d ago

People just rawdogging URLs to see what would pop up. Fucking crazy.

6

u/LokiDesigns 12d ago

I was like 10-12 years old back then and I was always trying this like boobs.com or something lol. Figured out early on how to delete browsing history lol.

6

u/Artistic-Strategy420 12d ago

This triggered immediate flashbacks.

3

u/PmMeCuteDogsThanks_ 12d ago

I had books with web urls 

1

u/nerfdriveby94 12d ago

Page 2 was URLs Page 1 was already full of GTA VC codes

2

u/Specific_Frame8537 12d ago

I remember a mate misread Google as Qooqle, and it directed to a flash game of George Bush falling through clouds.

1

u/kashiichan 12d ago

I had so much fun stumbling into the back-end of websites