The World Wide Web.
This was going to be a sidenote in one of our websites, which slowly exploded into an article on its own by complete accident.
Read on if you want to know more.
Name and Slogan. Wow.
Let's Share What We Know - World Wide Web slogan.
The logo above was made by Robert Calliaui. It stands as a piece of idealistic history of what many in the 90s thought of the "World Wide Web." We had to modify it to give it a white background due to the nature of our site. The modern web is very much different from what those ideals were, and it feels like, for the most part, on the clear web where everyone exists. Those ideals are warped. Instead, approaching something like this:
Pay for what we know!! - E-Commerce webstores paywalling information.
Or.....
Exploit everyone! We are the new creator! Flood the world with junk! - A.I. Firms.
There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. One of them is the Internet Archive, which we feel, given the way corporate pressure is about information in general. We hope it doesn't go down like the Library of Alexandria, but with the nature of how copyright is used like a weapon, well, after the artist's or creator's death. It's a possibility.
On a far smaller level, we'd like to believe our site follows the core ideals of what the World Wide Web is supposed to be. Which IS to share what we know. Even if what we know is wrong, people can reach out and correct us (provided, of course, the way they contact us isn't filled with insults and profanities at the end of every sentence like some kid with tourettes. Those tend to go in the SPECIAL round bin.)
Someone brought the logo to our attention on the wiki for WWW. Which, even though we're not fond of their description of the "Deep Web" or their crude graphic of the 'entire' internet. But then again, this is why you really can't take everything on Wikipedia as absolute truth. Although the definition of "Deep Web" has been updated to something more accurate. That is, websites require a login to enter their gated community, akin to our article describing the various networks. Some of the pictures left behind are laughably misleading.
On this dystopian iceberg, according to the creator, "Chiaerae". The entire internet on the surface web is four websites. That's it! Nothing else left to browse to back to school, and don't forget to buy the Encyclopedia Britannica.. Then the DEEP web, which consists of the protocol, a defunct auction site, Pedo-planet(Shouldn't that be underneath Dark-Web? or is it just a sub-reddit?), and HiddenWiki. ONLY THEN can you access the Dark Web in a different colored font. This is legit popcorn-grade material that would get you wrecked at a presentation at Def-Con unless it's for a comedic skit like here. Nevertheless, let's keep going.
Here we have Ranjithsiji thinking very unhealthily with Google. That the entire internet MUST go through Google or Bing, including applications above it. Or else it cannot exist. Not even being considerate about other search engines around the world. We've even talked about a few of them in the past.. Or that content must exist on their supposed "Surface Web" to be indexed. A little surprised the Ninjas at Wikipedia did nothing about this.
Again, a bit of a lack of understanding of how protocols like Onion and I2P work. That "World Wide Web" should be renamed to "Surface Net" even though "Clear-Net" is a better term. There is indexing going on INSIDE of the Onion. But only to those who are willing to be indexed, and more importantly, those indexes are actually vetted by something, or else they will be anonymously attacked and fed garbage.
This is wrong too. Looking at Ranjithsiji's flow chart. He should've put 'gateways' instead of databases, then drawn a line up to the web-servers. The whole purpose of alternative networking like Tor is anonymity. There's no need to hand your personal information and money over to ICANN (if in the States) or an ISP.
Back to the foundation of WWW.
We've added some additional webrings that exist on the footer of our entire set. We've also added a buttons section as well. Those don't need Google and were the ideal traversal system for those who like this site and wanted to visit others like it.
Doesn't matter, Tor and I2P got hacked anyways. - Anonymous
How much of the internet would you think would be left when someone finds an exploit and the developers decide:
Ahh shit! Game over!
And nuke their entire repository? You would have nothing.
Exploits can happen. THEN! Patches and software updates are applied to prevent the exploit from happening again. In general, this is software evolution. Also, many people think the only reason why these alternative networks exist is that you want to commit crimes. Well, depending on the country you are in, you might be right! The ability to browse without Big Brother watching you COULD be a crime depending on how authoritarian your country has become. Privacy is important because if your real identity is on display all of the time, it can be problematic. You can be exploited or even destroyed.
Final thoughts.
Sure, there are parts of the internet, especially on a surface level, that make a person want to throw their hands up and walk away. Perhaps that is by design. Make those who know what the internet should be give up, leaving only potential customers that will continue to be served the same garbage they were served on television such as "you should buy a shittier phone!". There's even the United States that thinks they can stop porn because:
Think of the children! - American way cry for censorship.
To which the first response to that would be. Perhaps some in government need to stop thinking about children. Sicko..
But the second response is more sensible, which is perhaps that you should not have children playing on the internet without supervision. I know! Paying attention to your child instead of letting YouTube Kids videos flash as many colors as possible at them without considering the side effects! UGH! Such a pain in the ass! Interacting now will save decades of therapy.
We're glad alternative network communities exist. That the small web exists.. That, despite how hard the tech industry tries. There is still a community out there. You're just going to have to dig a little harder and learn a little more to understand it.
Take care. Don't die.
+++NO CARRIER