2000s Websites, Software, and More

Around the turn of the millennium, the internet had been gradually gaining more users as computers started to appeal to the average consumer and make their way into people's homes (prior to the 90s, computers were mostly confined to offices). And with the rise in people using the internet came with the rise of new ideas for webpages and internet related software. Many of the most iconic websites were created during the 2000s (or the late 1990s in some cases) and actually had their own distinct looks and features (unlike most modern day websites using the godawful Bootstrap template) back in the day.

The internet in the 2000s was ruled by message boards, instant messaging services (AOL Instant Messanger, MSN Messanger, Yahoo Instant Messanger, etc), Flash and Shockwave game websites, personal blogs and other random personal websites, peer to peer file sharing websites, and early social networking sites (particularly during the later years of the 2000s). It was the decade that marked the transition from web 1.0 into the early days of web 2.0. Although many of these websites are still up and running to this day, others have unfortunately been wiped off the face of the internet within recent years or have changed into something dramatically different from what they used to be (or have otherwise been rendered unusable). Additionally, people actually surfed the web back in the 2000s instead of sticking to the same few apps like how they do these days.

In addition, skeuomorphic design ruled in technology (particularly in computer user interfaces and software, website design, some videogames, and even in many cellphone UIs) throughout the decade.

Here, I will be providing links to older websites and software applications that still work or alternatives to ones that don't as well as information regarding them and older digital design trends:

Helpful Active Websites:

Helpful Downloadable Software and Browser Extensions:

Skeuomorphism Examples and Tutorials:
Defunct, dramatically redesigned, or otherwise unusable websites

  • Blingee

    • Rock picking

  • MySpace

    • Rock picking

  • Yahoo Answers

    • Tomb(2005 - 2021)

  • Cartoon Network

    • Tomb(1998 - 2024)

  • Limewire

    • Tomb(2000 - 2010)

  • Napster

    • Tomb(1999 - 2001)

If you want to learn how to code your own website, checkout these links: Neocities Pink star W3Schools