Chapter 1: The Birth of the World Wide Web

The World Wide Web serves as an extensive network that links countless individuals and devices globally. But how did it all begin? Who was responsible for the first website, and what information did it contain? Remarkably, this website has remained accessible for over thirty years.

Tim Berners-Lee, the visionary behind the World Wide Web, launched the first website in 1990. Utilizing a NeXT computer and a program named WorldWideWeb, he crafted a straightforward page filled with text and hyperlinks. You can still visit this historic site today: The first website.

The initial website was hosted on Berners-Lee's computer at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, where he worked as a physicist. His goal was to develop a system that facilitated information sharing among researchers across diverse platforms and networks. This led to the innovative use of hypertext, a method that links documents through keywords, along with the foundational protocols of HTTP and URL that we rely on today.

The aesthetics of the first website were quite basic by today’s standards. It featured a plain white background, black text, and blue hyperlinks. The content explained what the World Wide Web was, provided instructions on how to use it, and guidance on creating web pages. It also linked to other documents pertinent to the web project, including technical specifications, software, and contributors.

Yet, beneath its simplicity lay an intriguing secret. The first website contained a concealed message that only Berners-Lee could view. Within the website's source code, he embedded the following caution:

<! — This is a hypertext document. You can edit it by double-clicking on it. If you save it back to this file, you will overwrite the original version. Don't do that unless you are Tim Berners-Lee or someone he said could do it. If you want to make your own hypertext document, copy this one into another file and edit that one instead. –>

This warning served as a precaution to deter anyone from altering or erasing the first website. It also indicated that Berners-Lee had exclusive editing privileges directly from his browser—a capability not afforded to any other user. He had ingeniously created a browser and editor in one, named WorldWideWeb.

But why did he feel the need to safeguard the first website? Was he concerned about potential tampering or the possibility of losing credit for his innovation? Was there something on the site that he preferred to keep hidden, or was he simply exercising due diligence?

The truth remains elusive. Berners-Lee has never clarified the purpose behind that message or his intentions for the first website. Since 1992, when he transitioned to a different computer and left his NeXT machine at CERN, he has not updated or modified it. Furthermore, he has never claimed ownership over the first website or the web itself, choosing instead to share them freely with the world.

The first website stands as a captivating enigma and a significant milestone in the evolution of the World Wide Web. It serves as a historical artifact that illustrates the inception of the web and its remarkable evolution over time. It also embodies the vision and generosity of Tim Berners-Lee, who gifted one of the most significant inventions of our era to humanity.

If you’re intrigued by the origins of the first website and wish to delve deeper into its history and hidden aspects, you can explore this page that offers additional information and resources. You may also find this video enlightening, where Berners-Lee showcases how he created and edited the first website using his NeXT computer.

Be cautious as you explore; you may find yourself captivated by a web of mystery and wonder that keeps you engaged for hours. And remember, editing or deleting anything should be reserved for Tim Berners-Lee or those he has authorized.

Chapter 2: The Legacy of the First Website

The first website is not only a testament to the ingenuity of its creator but also a reminder of the web's humble beginnings. To understand what the world's first web page looks like, watch this insightful video that provides a glimpse into its design and functionality.