The internet has existed since the 1960s, but the form we know today only appeared in the 1990s thanks to the invention of the World Wide Web (web). It is important to understand that these are not the same thing: the web is a protocol that unites pages that previously existed in isolation. It was created by physicist Tim Berners-Lee between 1989 and 1991 using tools such as HTML, CSS, and HTTP (or HTTPS), which are still used today.
The word 'web' in English means 'spiderweb' or 'network,' as its core idea is connecting different sites. It is the links—which mean 'connections' in English—that make up the entire structure of the web, its foundation, and, according to some authors, even its soul.
Digital artist and researcher Olia Lialina states in her essay 'From my to me' that 'Exchanging links, acting as a point of connection, was a duty, a reason, or an excuse for being online. You may not be an expert in anything or a fan of anyone, but you can share links with other people, and that is a noble role.'
This collection features links for those who wish to delve deeper into the topics mentioned in another article. It should be noted that many of these materials are presented in English, but this should not prevent access, as there are now many automatic translation tools available. On a computer, you can right-click on a page and select the 'translate to Portuguese' option, which is available in most browsers, and a similar function exists in mobile versions.
Automatic translation is not perfect, but perhaps among these 53 links, you will find something you like, something you want to study, or something that will change your life. All that remains is to explore and enjoy.
Among the mentioned resources is The World Wide Web project, the first website in the world created by the English physicist Tim Berners-Lee for the Swiss laboratory CERN. It still functions, retaining its 1991 appearance.
Personal websites of interviewees are also listed: Ana Rodriguez, software developer and IndieWeb organizer; Andre Lemos, professor at the Federal University of Bahia; Daniel Kossmann, AI product manager and content creator; Daniel/Melon King, programmer and digital artist; Rodrigo Ghedin, journalist and editor of the Manual do Usuário blog; Sergio Spanuolo, director and co-founder of Núcleo Jornalismo; and Vinicius Garcia, game developer and AI graduate student.
Tim Berners-Lee's text on 35 years of the web allows the web's creator to review the origins and motives behind the creation of the web, as well as assess the current situation regarding the concentration of digital power. This publication is interesting due to Berners-Lee's authority, but it also draws attention because it was published on a private platform rather than his own website on the web.
The GeoCities neighborhood archive is available, where one can wander through Hollywood to see discussions about cinema and television, and through Wall Street for information on investments and finance. Although some materials are comically outdated by decades.
The Wiki community of 32-bit Cafe represents perhaps the most comprehensive catalog with hundreds, if not thousands, of tutorials for everything that might be needed to create your own website, including many design and art tips. Tip: In Windows, use Ctrl+F to search for the desired term on the page.
The 'Getting Started in Indie Web' section offers many skills that can be developed when creating your own website. At first, this may seem confusing. This collection, created on the MelonLand site, presents an index of resources from the most basic level to advanced skills. Although there are fewer options here, they are more curated. It is also recommended to try the book format, which allows displaying tabs of other related sites simultaneously without constantly opening new tabs.
The Neocities platform, besides hosting sites, provides simple and interactive tutorials on HTML and CSS for mastering basic programming commands for building your own website. It is very easy, much like a game.
The IndieWeb movement site functions as a wiki: it is a forum where you can navigate through pages to find answers and discussions related to this movement.
The IndieWeb chat is a live resource for solving questions. Chats are conducted in English and are available via web, Slack, and Discord.
A list of indie web manifestos compiled by Daniel, known as Melon King, includes dozens of manifestos supporting the web. This guarantees inspiration.
CSS Zen Garden is a project started in 2003 that challenges anyone to use CSS to create their version of a site based on the exact same HTML code. It is a great way to see how CSS goes far beyond being 'clothing' for a site and can completely change the atmosphere. Tip: View the page collecting all the designs (there are over 200).
The Vinizone—the site of Brazilian Vinicius Garcia, mentioned above, but deserves a special mention for its content related to Super. You may already be familiar with it through Bolsodex, which translated Pokémon names into Portuguese and created masterpieces, such as translating psyduck as psychopath. Explore it yourself, but be sure to check out the CD-ROM Portal, which archives old CD-ROM games, and the translator of Brazilian and Korean names. Incidentally, the text that initiated the whole topic of indie web was a long statistical and amusing study of the standard size of laughter 'kkkk' on the internet. It is worth reading.
Duda Eletrohits is a Portuguese-language site for everyone who misses the era of Summer Eletrohits and Free Step. But there is much hidden on this site—even a DVD simulator for viewing detailed series reviews. It is completely interactive and unusual.
Cameron’s World—perhaps the most chaotic site on this list. Cameron’s World is a digital collage mosaic project that collects archived versions of hundreds of sites that existed on the now-abandoned GeoCities, which closed in 2009, taking 38 million sites with it. To find some of them, you just have to click on animated GIFs. But be warned: there are sites of all types, and some may contain sensitive content.
Caramel Fevers—this beautiful site, discovered by enthusiastic designers Caroline Aranya and Cristielle Louise, was a team favorite for several days. It is a wonderful example of the countless possibilities of the web that are almost forgotten in the age of the pasteurized aesthetics of large tech company feeds. It cannot be explained; you just have to browse to understand.
Oopsie Doodle—another designer favorite, this site combines various visual resources in an aesthetic characteristic of the 2000s. The owner also uses it as a repository for her design projects and crochet projects. It is sweet.
Korenara—another recommendation from Cristiella: the site features a diary, playlists, a public real-time chat, and many unusual clickable elements. One can notice that our designers love the craziest sites?
Lerama—an aggregator of Brazilian sites and news feeds, created by the Manual do Usuário site. Also try the 'Rolêrama' mode, which allows navigating between sites, and the random mode, which opens a new tab with any text.
Cantinho brasileiro do Vinizinho—a list of personal sites inspired by the old web and created by Brazilians. There is no thematic grouping here. Just open and discover.
Neocities—in this browsing tab, you can navigate through sites hosted on the platform and search by specific terms. You can play with filters to see recently updated sites, older ones, or even those with more views.
Ooh directory—this is a site directory divided by themes, in English. There is a lot of good stuff, but the navigation is not very stimulating as there are no site thumbnails for visual selection.
Surf Club MelonLand—a web ring that unites over 1600 English-language sites, divided into 'guilds' that act as thematic groups for collecting sites. Examples of such guilds include Pokémon fans, musicians, science enthusiasts, and activists for the return of online forums.
Plastic Dino—another random and curious collection of sites. It is full of things you didn't even know the internet could do, and that someone needed. Besides potential usefulness, the site can serve as inspiration for your personal site: it is an archive of everything cool you found on the web.
Blog Carnivals—Carnival is a kind of themed quiz: you join a group of people who love writing about the same topics, such as mathematics, creative writing, or films. Periodically, someone acts as the host, choosing the topic that everyone writes and discusses about. Participation is not mandatory, but it can be a good way to find inspiration.
GifCities—this is a non-profit initiative of the Internet Archive project, which allows searching for archived GIFs from old Geocities sites. It is a true vintage find.
Animated Images—over 149 thousand animated GIFs, divided by categories, all free and freely usable.
MoMG: GiF GALLeRY—a site created by Melon King for searching and copying GIFs. However, the navigation here is opposite to Animated Images and GifCities: instead of selecting by category, you need to find doors on the pages and move from room to room, each dedicated to a specific theme. For those who don't speak English or are tired of words, this is a chaotic alternative for experiencing.
TextureTown—a library of 3800 free textures for download. It is an antidote to minimalism on your website.
'From my to me' by Olia Lialina—a fantastic and indispensable text for this material. It is a reflection on changes in cyberculture over the past decades, presented accessibly and beautifully illustrated with nearly 80 photos of old websites.
'We Need To Rewild The Internet' by Maria Farrell and Robin Birdjon—an essay comparing the modern internet to monocultures and extractive cultures, using ecological lessons to propose changes to make the internet 'wild' again. It is an interesting dialogue with the material on the cover of issue 488 about zoos.
'75 reasons to start a personal website' by James—a list of arguments and reasons to love the freedom of personal websites.
Lecture notes 'The web we want: A beginner’s guide to the IndieWeb' by Paul Robert Lloyd—an accessible presentation that returns to the origins of the web and presents some important concepts and tips for understanding indie web.
'Autonomy Online: A Case For The IndieWeb' by Ana Rodriguez—a long text about corporate web versus indie web, containing some useful links for deepening both theoretical and practical knowledge.
