Remember when the internet felt like a neighborhood rather than a corporate mall? Back when your homepage wasn’t “a profile” but your own little planet, floating in the big chaotic galaxy of the web.
That’s the old web.
I’m talking:
- 88x31 pixel buttons — badges of honor you proudly plastered on your homepage. “Best viewed in Netscape Navigator,” “Under Construction 🚧,” “Proud Member of XYZ Webring.”
- Webrings — the social media before social media. You weren’t “following” anyone — you were literally connected in a ring of sites, like holding hands across the internet.
- Hit counters — because every visitor was a victory.
And of course, Neocities — the modern-day time machine for this aesthetic. Static HTML, CSS, maybe some chaotic JavaScript if you’re feeling dangerous.
The old web was messy. It was personal. It was yours.
Honestly, Sometimes I just wonder around on my favorite websites like dimden.dev or the neocities feed in general.
These days, the internet’s cleaner, faster, and blander. But in our little corners, we can still bring back the weirdness — keep making pages that feel like they’re alive.
So go ahead: throw on a tiled background, slap on some glittery text, and maybe even add a dancing baby GIF. Not because it’s retro… but because it’s fun.
And honestly, I am going to turn this article on this website into a little piece of art.