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<v Speaker 1>You know that feeling when you're using a website, you

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<v Speaker 1>visit constantly, maybe for years, and then you stumble upon

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<v Speaker 1>a feature or a specific way to use it that

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<v Speaker 1>you never knew was there.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's like finding a hidden passage in a place

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<v Speaker 1>you thought you knew inside out.

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<v Speaker 2>It happens more often than we realize. I think we

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<v Speaker 2>tend to stick to the familiar paths online, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>just sort of navigating the surface, missing the deeper layers

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<v Speaker 2>of functionality the creators designed exactly.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and sometimes the most insightful way to understand the

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<v Speaker 1>digital tools we rely on today is to well rewind

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<v Speaker 1>the clock to see what the internet landscape looked like

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<v Speaker 1>in a different era and what clever ideas were being

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<v Speaker 1>built into these platforms back then.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it provides incredible context. It shows us the specific

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<v Speaker 2>user problems developers were tackling, the strategy sites used to

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<v Speaker 2>attract and keep users, and how core functionalities that we

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<v Speaker 2>now take for granted first took shape.

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<v Speaker 1>Which is precisely what we're doing in this deep dive.

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<v Speaker 1>We're exploring a specific source from a very particular moment

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<v Speaker 1>in Internet history. A book published back in two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and four called five oh one Website Secrets by Michael Miller.

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<v Speaker 2>That title really sets the stage perfectly, doesn't it. This

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<v Speaker 2>book was all about revealing the lesser known capabilities of

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<v Speaker 2>the major websites thriving just over twenty years ago.

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<v Speaker 1>And what a time that was for the web. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>we're talking about the era of the mighty Internet portals,

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<v Speaker 1>the fierce competition between search engines, and the rapid growth

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<v Speaker 1>of online services like auctions, digital music, travel booking. The

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<v Speaker 1>Internet felt both like vast and also like it was

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<v Speaker 1>just figuring itself out.

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<v Speaker 2>There was definitely an air of exploration, both for users

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<v Speaker 2>and for the companies building these sites. They were experiment

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<v Speaker 2>and constantly embedding features that were sometimes hard to find

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<v Speaker 2>unless you knew where to look.

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<v Speaker 1>So our mission here is to take this two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>and four book, this snapshot in time, and extract some

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<v Speaker 1>of the most surprising, perhaps so useful, or just plain

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<v Speaker 1>fascinating secrets and insights Michael Miller uncovered back then. Think

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<v Speaker 1>of this as a guided tour through the clever, sometimes

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<v Speaker 1>hidden functionalities of the Web circa two thousand and four,

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<v Speaker 1>seen through the eyes of someone trying to empower users.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, let's dive in see what we can find in

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<v Speaker 2>this digital time capsule. Where does the book begin its exploration.

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<v Speaker 1>It starts, appropriately enough for the time, with the dominant

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<v Speaker 1>forces the Internet portals, and you absolutely have to kick

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<v Speaker 1>off that discussion with Yahoo.

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<v Speaker 2>Yahoo right, which the book reminds us famously started as

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<v Speaker 2>just a simple hobby list of favorite websites compiled by

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<v Speaker 2>David Filo and Jerry Yang when they were at Stanford.

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<v Speaker 1>Just organizing what they found useful online. Pretty much a

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<v Speaker 1>hobby that turned into yet another hierarchical, officious oracle if

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<v Speaker 1>you go by their chosen acronym. It's amazing to think

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<v Speaker 1>how quickly it ballooned from a curated list to this

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<v Speaker 1>sprawling digital city.

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<v Speaker 2>And the book highlights a key distinction central to Yahoo's

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<v Speaker 2>early identity, the difference between its original, human edited Yahoo

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<v Speaker 2>directory and its Yahoo web search.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, the directory was known for its quality, that curated feel,

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<v Speaker 1>but it could never keep up with the sheer volume

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<v Speaker 1>of the web, so the web search became essential. And interestingly,

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<v Speaker 1>in two thousand and four, that search was actually powered

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<v Speaker 1>by Google technology under the hood.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, a major competitor powering their core search results. It's

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<v Speaker 2>kind of wild. The book even points out a specific

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<v Speaker 2>page search dot Yahoo dot com, intended as a central

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<v Speaker 2>hub to access all of Yahoo's different search types, web

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<v Speaker 2>directory and others.

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<v Speaker 1>Portal life in two thousand and four was also heavily

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<v Speaker 1>centered around personalization. My Yahoo was their big play here,

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<v Speaker 1>allowing you to build your own homepage dashboard. You could

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<v Speaker 1>add modules for news, weather, stocks, whatever else you wanted

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<v Speaker 1>to track.

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<v Speaker 2>That was pretty revolutionary for many users than controlling your

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<v Speaker 2>own information stream rather than just seeing a static homepage.

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<v Speaker 2>The book also details their early focus on safety features

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<v Speaker 2>like a mature content filter, right stricter moderate family accounts

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<v Speaker 2>with age based restrictions, and the completely set brit Kid

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<v Speaker 2>friendly Yaholigan's.

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<v Speaker 1>Directory Yeahooligans, I remember that, a truly curated, safer space

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<v Speaker 1>for younger users separate from the main web. The book

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<v Speaker 1>also shows Yahoo's global reach, mentioning world yahoos, offering localized

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<v Speaker 1>versions for like Argentina, France, China.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, lots of countries. Beyond just content, Yahoo built tools

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<v Speaker 2>for common online tasks. The book covers Yahoo People Search,

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<v Speaker 2>which could find publicly listed street addresses or fun numbers

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<v Speaker 2>in the US, and.

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<v Speaker 1>For businesses, Yahoo Yellow pages that you search by category

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<v Speaker 1>or specific name, using your location to find relevant listings nearby.

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<v Speaker 2>Communication was another core pillar of these portals. Yahoo Chat

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<v Speaker 2>hosted like thousands of topic specific rooms and allowed private messages, and.

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<v Speaker 1>Yahoo Messenger that was a heavyweight in the early instant

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<v Speaker 1>messaging wars right Yeah, rivaling Aim and MSN Messenger.

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<v Speaker 2>Totally free, real time communication essential.

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<v Speaker 1>Back then, those im clients were crucial to how people

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<v Speaker 1>connected online daily. The book also mentions community features like

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<v Speaker 1>Yahoo message boards on well countless topic and Yahoo groups.

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<v Speaker 2>Those are basically online clubs where members could share messages, photos,

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<v Speaker 2>file stuff like that.

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<v Speaker 1>An early form of online community building definitely.

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<v Speaker 2>The book points out that their stock message boards were

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<v Speaker 2>particularly popular, though maybe take the inside or insight with

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<v Speaker 2>a grain of salt.

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<v Speaker 1>Huh, cautious note from the source. Yeah. They also offered

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<v Speaker 1>web based organization tools that felt quite advanced for the time,

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<v Speaker 1>Yahoo Counter and Yahoo address Book accessible from any computer.

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<v Speaker 2>That web based access, plus the ability to sync with

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<v Speaker 2>desktop programs or you know, PDAs. That was a big

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<v Speaker 2>step towards today's cloud.

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<v Speaker 1>Tools and content content content Yahoo News, sports, movies, and

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<v Speaker 1>Yahoo Finance described as one of the best personal finance

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<v Speaker 1>sites back.

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<v Speaker 2>Then offering stock quotes, charts, links to other financial tools.

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<v Speaker 2>You could integrate your portfolio right into your my Yahoo page.

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<v Speaker 1>They really were trying to be the single destination for

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<v Speaker 1>well everything. This extended to commerce with Yahoo Shopping, classifieds

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<v Speaker 1>and autos.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and the book makes a point that with Yahoo Shopping,

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<v Speaker 2>while you used their directory and maybe a shared cart,

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<v Speaker 2>you were still purchasing from the individual merchants, right.

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<v Speaker 1>So any problems went through them, not Yahoo.

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<v Speaker 2>An important distinction about their role as a platform, not

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<v Speaker 2>always a direct retailer. Utilities like Yahoo Maps were there.

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<v Speaker 1>Too, and interestingly Yahoo Music. The book notes it wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>a major force for paid downloads like Napster or iTunes.

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<v Speaker 2>Yet more focused on news, videos and internet radio via

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<v Speaker 2>their La andch site.

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<v Speaker 1>Gotcha. Finally, the book reveals Yahoo GeoCities, a major platform

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<v Speaker 1>for creating free personal web pages.

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<v Speaker 2>Ooh.

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<v Speaker 1>GeoCities huge, offering easy tools and templates. It felt enormous

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<v Speaker 1>at the time, a place where anyone could stake their

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<v Speaker 1>claim on the web. The book calls it the world's

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<v Speaker 1>largest collection of personal pages.

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<v Speaker 2>A true snapshot of grassroots web creation back then.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, so that's the sprawling world of Yahoo. Let's look

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<v Speaker 1>at their big rival portal for Microsoft MSN.

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<v Speaker 2>Right. MSN's entry point was often Microsoft Passport, which later

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<v Speaker 2>became dot Net Passport, a single sign in system intended

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<v Speaker 2>to unify access across all Microsoft sites, including MSN, the.

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<v Speaker 1>Early push for a universal digital identity.

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<v Speaker 2>It was free, often just using your email, and they

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<v Speaker 2>offered kids Passport accounts as well for safety.

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<v Speaker 1>Like Yahoo, MSN offered my MSN for personalized start pages

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<v Speaker 1>build your own.

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<v Speaker 2>Dashboard, and MSN Search had this unique layout the book

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<v Speaker 2>describes it presented four types of results on one page,

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<v Speaker 2>popular topics, featured sites, web directory sites okay, and the

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<v Speaker 2>main web pages results, which at that point were powered

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<v Speaker 2>by ink.

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<v Speaker 1>To my four distinct result types on one page, trying

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<v Speaker 1>to help users make sense of the results in different ways.

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<v Speaker 2>I guess yeah, And the book details MSN searches support

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<v Speaker 2>for boolean operators like or not, T and plus minus

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<v Speaker 2>noting and was the default for multiple words.

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<v Speaker 1>Pretty standard search logic it.

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<v Speaker 2>Meant, and they automatically searched for word variations too. The

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<v Speaker 2>book then lists various specialized MSN channels like MSN Autos,

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<v Speaker 2>Digital Photos, Shopping, and MSN Money.

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<v Speaker 1>MSN money sounds like it was quite comprehensive, described as

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<v Speaker 1>a full service financial site.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, with CNBC News, stock quotes and tools for planning

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<v Speaker 2>and portfolios. They also had channels for fitness and recreation,

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<v Speaker 2>MSN Games via Zone dot com, Zone dot com right,

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<v Speaker 2>and MSN Kids with its own kids safe Search, continuing

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<v Speaker 2>that theme of curating content for younger users.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, shifting gears slightly, let's talk about AOL dot Com.

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<v Speaker 1>The book reveals a key secret that felt like well

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<v Speaker 1>and escape patch for many users back then, which was

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<v Speaker 1>you didn't have to use the proprietary AOL software. You

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<v Speaker 1>could access AOL from any web browser by simply going

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<v Speaker 1>to AOL dot com.

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<v Speaker 2>That was a huge deal for users who had their

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<v Speaker 2>own ISP or broadband and didn't want to be tied

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<v Speaker 2>to the AOL client interface like at all.

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<v Speaker 1>It related to that was there Bring your Own Access plan,

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<v Speaker 1>the BYOA plan, allowing users with their own Internet connection

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<v Speaker 1>to pay a reduced fee like fourteen dollars and ninety

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<v Speaker 1>five cents instead of the full twenty three dollars and

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<v Speaker 1>ninety centent dial up price just for access to the

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<v Speaker 1>AOL services via the web.

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<v Speaker 2>Recognizing the changing Internet landscape. Yeah, The book lists which

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<v Speaker 2>AOL services were available via the web, mail, AM search, shopping, chats, groups,

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<v Speaker 2>message boards, basically the core stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>And here's where it gets really interesting from a historical perspective.

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<v Speaker 1>The book mentions the Netscape network site netscape dot com,

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<v Speaker 1>which seemingly offered free access to many AOL features without

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<v Speaker 1>needing a paid AOL subscription.

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<v Speaker 2>Whoa really fascinating. It was like a backdoor into some

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<v Speaker 2>of AOL's features through their acquisition of Netscape. Shows the

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<v Speaker 2>strategic complexities and weird partnerships of the era, definitely.

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<v Speaker 1>The book moves on to Excite, described as a portal

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<v Speaker 1>known for its metasearch capabilities.

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<v Speaker 2>Metasearch meaning it searched multiple search engines simultaneously pulled results together.

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<v Speaker 1>The book's visual description is kind of bland visually, but

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<v Speaker 1>it did highlight specific content, like its entertainment page and

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<v Speaker 1>its celebrity gossip section that aggregated sources like the National

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<v Speaker 1>Inquirer Online and Star Online.

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<v Speaker 2>Sure an early aggregator of tabloid news. It also offered

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<v Speaker 2>a light version for less visual clutter. Apparently.

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<v Speaker 1>Finally, in the portal section Licos, the book places it

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<v Speaker 1>within the larger Tara Micos network, owning sister sites like

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<v Speaker 1>angel Fire for personal.

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<v Speaker 3>Pages, angel Fire Yeah in Gamesville. It also notes the

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<v Speaker 3>complex ownership structure Yeah Tara. Leko's own search engines like

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<v Speaker 3>all the Web and Alta Vista used Overture for paid

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<v Speaker 3>search results.

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<v Speaker 2>While Lecos's main search results were powered by Inktomei, which

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<v Speaker 2>was owned by Yahoo. It's like layers within layers.

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<v Speaker 1>It really highlights how interconnected and frankly confusing the web

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<v Speaker 1>business was becoming even then. The Lecos directory, the book explains,

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<v Speaker 1>used the human Edited Open Directory project okay, and Licos

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<v Speaker 1>offered quite a few advanced search filters, accessible directly from

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<v Speaker 1>the homepage or an advanced search page.

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<v Speaker 2>These filters allowed users to refine searches by including or

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<v Speaker 2>excluding words, limiting to specific sites or domains, filtering by language,

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<v Speaker 2>or using content filters more control.

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<v Speaker 1>They even had search Guard technology designed to filter objectionable

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<v Speaker 1>content by deleting keywords from the search.

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<v Speaker 2>Query, itself, an interesting technical approach to filtering. The book

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<v Speaker 2>also calls out Licos's first rate MP three search engine

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<v Speaker 2>and general audio search for formats like lovev and MIDI.

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<v Speaker 1>But it clarifies Licos just linked to files didn't.

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<v Speaker 2>Host them right, and it does mention Rhapsody as a

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<v Speaker 2>separate subscription music service linked to locos somehow, and.

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<v Speaker 1>For kids, Licozone offered curated content, games, homework help including

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<v Speaker 1>how stuff.

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<v Speaker 2>Works, how stuff works, great site.

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<v Speaker 1>And reference materials.

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<v Speaker 2>So the portals were these vast integrated ecosystems trying to

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<v Speaker 2>keep you within their walls. Basically, now, let's look at

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<v Speaker 2>sites that were more focused specifically on the exploding problem

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<v Speaker 2>of finding information, the dedicated to search engines.

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<v Speaker 1>And there's really only one place to start that conversation.

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<v Speaker 1>In two thousand and four, even in a book about web.

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<v Speaker 2>Secrets, Google absolutely The book gives us the numbers for

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<v Speaker 2>two thousand and four, over seventy three point five million

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<v Speaker 2>unique users monthly, over two hundred million searches a day,

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<v Speaker 2>indexing billions of pages, just massive scale for the time, and.

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<v Speaker 1>The book emphasizes Google's core different from the portals, a

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<v Speaker 1>laser focus purely on search, no email, no personalization on

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<v Speaker 1>the main page, none of that portal.

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<v Speaker 2>Clutter, simplicity on the surface, immense power underneath. The book

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<v Speaker 2>lists the variety of searches available then basic web, advanced

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<v Speaker 2>web directory images, news, Usenet, people, stocks, catalogs, even government

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<v Speaker 2>and university specific searches.

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<v Speaker 1>The homepage is called a marvel of simplicity, which it was,

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<v Speaker 1>but the engine's power, as the book explains, came from PageRank.

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<v Speaker 2>PageRank was foundational. Yeah, it didn't just count how many

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<v Speaker 2>links pointed to a page. It weighted those links based

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<v Speaker 2>on the importance of the PageRank of the linking page itself.

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<v Speaker 2>It was a quality based approach to real events, which

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<v Speaker 2>was pretty groundbreaking.

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<v Speaker 1>The book details the search operators that gave users more control,

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<v Speaker 1>the implied A and D between words the explicit or

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<v Speaker 1>R for either searches, and excluding words with the minus

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<v Speaker 1>minus bean sign it notes stop words were usually included.

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<v Speaker 2>And key advanced options highlighted are file a type to

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<v Speaker 2>find documents like PDFs or word docs, super useful in

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<v Speaker 2>site to search only within a specific website or domain.

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<v Speaker 2>These are still incredibly useful today, obviously.

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<v Speaker 1>And here's a secret from the book that was like

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<v Speaker 1>a digital archaeology tool, the cash operator type in cash

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<v Speaker 1>before a URL that you see Google's stored copy of

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<v Speaker 1>a page.

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<v Speaker 2>Right even if the live version was down or had

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<v Speaker 2>changed significantly.

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<v Speaker 1>A lifesaver for researchers or anyone needing to access historical

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<v Speaker 1>web content. The book lists many other operators too, like infolink,

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<v Speaker 1>related Dot entitled dot Neural, Lots of ways to slice

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<v Speaker 1>and dice, so.

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<v Speaker 2>Much power embedded right in that simple search bar. Google

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<v Speaker 2>also integrated features into the results display, like showing related

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<v Speaker 2>news headlines or suggesting related pages via something called Google Scout.

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<v Speaker 1>Google preferences allowed customization too, results per page, language filtering,

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<v Speaker 1>and importantly safe search for filtering out offensive content.

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<v Speaker 2>They also made it easy to search from anywhere with

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<v Speaker 2>Google browser buttons and the dedicated Google toolbar, which offered

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<v Speaker 2>even more integrated features right in your browser.

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<v Speaker 1>Beyond the core web search, the book explores Google specific

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<v Speaker 1>services available, then, Google image search with advanced filters, nails Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>and Google Groups for accessing and searching Usenet newsgroups using

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<v Speaker 1>the grouped operator use.

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<v Speaker 2>Net Wow, and Google phone Book, a feature for searching

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<v Speaker 2>publicly listed phone numbers and addresses in the US, even

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<v Speaker 2>a reverse look up using the phone book operator.

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<v Speaker 1>Again, the book cautions this only finds listed numbers, can't

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<v Speaker 1>find unlisted ones.

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<v Speaker 2>Of course, Google News is also highlighted, aggregating headlines from

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<v Speaker 2>thousands of sources, with category browsing and the ability to

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<v Speaker 2>bookmark search results pages to get updated news feeds on

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<v Speaker 2>a topic.

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<v Speaker 1>That bookmarking trick was a clever way to stay current

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<v Speaker 1>on a topic before RSS feeds were really mainstream.

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<v Speaker 2>Definitely, Google stocks, Google Products, which was called frugal back then,

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<v Speaker 2>for shopping comparisons, Google and Google catalogs for browsing merchant

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<v Speaker 2>catalogs online are also covered.

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<v Speaker 1>They even offered dictionary lookup using dictionary dot com and

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<v Speaker 1>the Google calculator Yeah, which was pretty powerful math unit conversions. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>The book notes it could even handle nonsense like feet

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<v Speaker 1>in smoots.

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<v Speaker 2>And answering philosophical questions.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, the classic answer to life, the Universe, and everything.

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<v Speaker 1>Forty two had to be there.

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<v Speaker 2>The book rounds out the Google section by listing other

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<v Speaker 2>goodies like language tools for translation, the Google desk bar,

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<v Speaker 2>Google glossary, keyboard, shortcuts, search by location, just a ton

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<v Speaker 2>of stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>The book summary emphasizes that despite the minimal interface, Google

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<v Speaker 1>in two thousand and four offered tremendous power to informed

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<v Speaker 1>users willing to dig just a little bit deeper.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, moving to another search engine mentored all the Web.

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<v Speaker 2>The book notes its ownership by Overture alongside AltaVista.

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<v Speaker 1>Right part of that Overture portfolio.

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<v Speaker 2>All the Web differentiated itself with specific indexes for different

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<v Speaker 2>types of content accessible using syntax shortcuts like web images,

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<v Speaker 2>dot news, audio, video, and even FTP FTP search.

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<v Speaker 1>Interesting. It also had a range of operators like site, oral,

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<v Speaker 1>dot link, domain, file size and file type plus date

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<v Speaker 1>range searching.

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<v Speaker 2>The book calls out its advanced news search, picture search

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<v Speaker 2>with thumbnails, and particularly its advanced FTP file search.

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<v Speaker 1>Well special about that.

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<v Speaker 2>It offered really granular options to find downloadable files, including

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<v Speaker 2>filtering by domain paths, size, date, and even excluding certain

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<v Speaker 2>file types. Pretty specialized.

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<v Speaker 1>Next, a search engine with a very distinct approach, Ask Jeeves.

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<v Speaker 1>The book leads with its signature feature the ability to

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<v Speaker 1>respond to plain English questions, not just keywords.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, you could phrase your query naturally, like you were

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<v Speaker 2>asking a person why is the sky blue? Or something

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<v Speaker 2>like that. The book provides examples showing how you could

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<v Speaker 2>ask full questions.

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<v Speaker 1>The result page structure after they integrated the Tioma index,

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<v Speaker 1>included standard web results, sponsored web results those are the

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<v Speaker 1>paid ads, and a refine your Search section offering links

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<v Speaker 1>to related searches or questions suggested by Jeeves himself.

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<v Speaker 2>That refined section carried the spirit of the original Butler concept,

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<v Speaker 2>trying to guide you to better results. The book lists

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<v Speaker 2>specific smart features it handled directly, definitions, conversions, exchange rates, images,

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<v Speaker 2>local info, maps, movie showtimes, stock quotes, quite a lot.

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<v Speaker 1>And like others, an asked G's toolbar was available for

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<v Speaker 1>Internet Explorer, providing a search box and quick access buttons

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<v Speaker 1>for news, pictures, etc.

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<v Speaker 2>Trying to integrate that natural language approach directly into the

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<v Speaker 2>browser experience.

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<v Speaker 1>Another Overture owned engine discussed is Alta Vista. Remember Alta Vista,

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<v Speaker 1>Oh Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>A big name. Early on, the book lists its search methods,

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<v Speaker 2>web images, MP three's video, news and notes, its directory

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<v Speaker 2>used look smart and the open Directory project.

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<v Speaker 1>Alta Vista was known for its powerful search operators, the

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<v Speaker 1>plus and minus science quotes for exact phrases, near for proximity,

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<v Speaker 1>and the.

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<v Speaker 2>Boolean and or not, but the book specifically highlights its

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<v Speaker 2>advanced web search page as a key feature. It allowed

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<v Speaker 2>users to construct really complex queries with boolean logic, customize

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<v Speaker 2>the result display, and filter by domain, site or date range.

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<v Speaker 2>Very powerful for the time.

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<v Speaker 1>It also offered language translation tools for text and entire pages,

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<v Speaker 1>and Menca's Webmaster search and the AltaVista.

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<v Speaker 2>Toolbar, keeping up with the toolbar trend.

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<v Speaker 1>Finally, in the search engine discussion Hotbot, the book clarifies

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<v Speaker 1>its ownership by Tara Lekos navigating that complex web we.

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<v Speaker 2>Saw earlier the ownership tangle, again.

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<v Speaker 1>Noting Hotpot's main search was powered by Inktomi, which was

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<v Speaker 1>owned by Yahoo.

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<v Speaker 2>Right. Hotbot's main selling point, the book notes, was its

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<v Speaker 2>ability to search across multiple search sites simultaneous, Google, Ink

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<v Speaker 2>to my Fast, Tioma looked, Smart, open directory all at once.

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<v Speaker 1>A true meta search engine, it says hot box own

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<v Speaker 1>into my Search index was pretty good and comparable in

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<v Speaker 1>size to others at around three billion pages, and.

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<v Speaker 2>The book highlights the ability to filter searches directly from

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<v Speaker 2>the homepage using custom web filters and a preferences page.

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<v Speaker 1>These filters offered granular control over things like words, domains,

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<v Speaker 1>content types, though the book cautioned that not all the

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<v Speaker 1>underlying search sites supported all the filters equally.

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<v Speaker 2>Right a limitation of meta search. An advanced search page

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<v Speaker 2>offered even more fine tuning.

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<v Speaker 1>What's fascinating about looking back at these search engines is

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<v Speaker 1>how they approached the same fundamental problem finding information on

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<v Speaker 1>the web with such different philosophies.

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<v Speaker 2>Totally from Google's algorithmic simplicity and PageRank to ask jeeves

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<v Speaker 2>natural language focus and hotbot's meta search approach.

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<v Speaker 1>It shows the intense innovation happening as the web scaled

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<v Speaker 1>up so quickly, everyone was trying to build the best

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<v Speaker 1>tool for navigating and increasingly complex information space.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely okay. Let's shift gears from search specifically to sites

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<v Speaker 2>focused on content and specific services that were prominent back

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<v Speaker 2>in two thousand and four. The book covers online news

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<v Speaker 2>and information sites, starting with CNN dot com right.

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<v Speaker 1>The book highlights that CNN dot Com offered much more

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<v Speaker 1>depth than just the headlines on the homepage. It mentioned

397
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<v Speaker 1>subscription services like CNN Newspasts and a web only newscast, CNN.

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<v Speaker 2>Quickcast, noting that not everything was free even then. Digital

399
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<v Speaker 2>paywalls aren't just a recent thing.

400
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<v Speaker 1>A useful secret noted is the ability to search the

401
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<v Speaker 1>EXTENSIVECNN dot com news archive for older stories.

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<v Speaker 2>That's valuable definitely, and the book points out their global presence,

403
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<v Speaker 2>with CNN dot com international and localized foreign language sites

404
00:20:46.839 --> 00:20:48.759
<v Speaker 2>designed for relevance to local audiences.

405
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<v Speaker 1>You can even find CNN'STV schedule online apparently. The book

406
00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:54.759
<v Speaker 1>lists other major news sites of the era like Bbcnews,

407
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<v Speaker 1>Reuter's cntnews dot com, MSNBC, and Google News.

408
00:20:59.160 --> 00:21:01.759
<v Speaker 2>Of course, so includes the Drudge Report, with the source

409
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<v Speaker 2>noting its political bias but also its strength in highlighting

410
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<v Speaker 2>headlines and breaking stories quickly.

411
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<v Speaker 1>From news to sports, the book dives into espn dot com,

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<v Speaker 1>described as the essential destination for major league and college.

413
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<v Speaker 2>Sports coverage and for action sports fans ESPN ESPN's sister site,

414
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<v Speaker 2>focusing on extreme sports like snowboarding, skateboarding, motocross.

415
00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:27.000
<v Speaker 1>A particularly cool feature highlighted is ESPN gamecasts remember those.

416
00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:30.480
<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, providing real time text based play by play

417
00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:33.039
<v Speaker 2>for games when you couldn't watch them live on TV.

418
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<v Speaker 1>A crucial feature in the pre smartphone era for sports

419
00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:39.400
<v Speaker 1>fans stuck at a computer or just wanting updates totally.

420
00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:42.720
<v Speaker 2>The book also mentions ESPN Fantasy Sports already big then,

421
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<v Speaker 2>and the bottom Line ticker tool bar for scores and headlines.

422
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<v Speaker 1>For financial information, CBS MarketWatch is singled out as a

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<v Speaker 1>great financial site, and notably, the book emphasizes it was free, which.

424
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<v Speaker 2>Was a big draw. It covered both stocks and personal finance,

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<v Speaker 2>offering a library of articles and a glossary of financial tools.

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00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:05.200
<v Speaker 1>Included a market overview, snapshot, industry performance tracking, best warse sectors,

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<v Speaker 1>and the ability to look up individual stock or fun tickers.

428
00:22:08.599 --> 00:22:12.039
<v Speaker 2>It's my Portfolios tool was apparently a standout. It allowed

429
00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:15.519
<v Speaker 2>users to build and track portfolios from simple lists of

430
00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:18.920
<v Speaker 2>stock symbols to more detailed records including cash positions and

431
00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:20.440
<v Speaker 2>purchase details, and.

432
00:22:20.359 --> 00:22:25.039
<v Speaker 1>It offered various views like analyzer allocation news related to

433
00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:25.720
<v Speaker 1>your holdings.

434
00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:29.000
<v Speaker 2>There was even a separate portfolio tracker window for real

435
00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:32.839
<v Speaker 2>time quotes, plus interactive charts for stock analysis.

436
00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:35.880
<v Speaker 1>The book also covers their newsletters and research section, featuring

437
00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:38.359
<v Speaker 1>analysis from contributors like Mike Ashbah and.

438
00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:42.160
<v Speaker 2>Here's a valuable secret from the book regarding newsletters. While

439
00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:46.559
<v Speaker 2>premium investment newsletters could be really expensive, right MarketWatch offered

440
00:22:46.599 --> 00:22:50.799
<v Speaker 2>a Guruz corner for free insights and crucially a list

441
00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:53.279
<v Speaker 2>of the top performing newsletters over the past year.

442
00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:55.799
<v Speaker 1>Ah so you could see track records before you decided

443
00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:57.400
<v Speaker 1>to subscribe to a pricey.

444
00:22:57.079 --> 00:23:00.759
<v Speaker 2>One exactly use the free resources to inform decisions about

445
00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:03.480
<v Speaker 2>the paid ones. The book also provided a directory with

446
00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:06.839
<v Speaker 2>pricing info for those newsletters, and it lists other financial

447
00:23:06.839 --> 00:23:12.160
<v Speaker 2>sites too, like Bloomberg, Forbes dot com, Motley Fool, next.

448
00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:16.119
<v Speaker 1>Up weather dot com highlighted for its truly global reach,

449
00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:19.960
<v Speaker 1>covering over eighty thousand locations worldwide. Even back then.

450
00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:22.000
<v Speaker 2>The site map is mentioned is a good way to

451
00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:24.319
<v Speaker 2>find the depth of content because there was a lot.

452
00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:28.599
<v Speaker 2>Key features included getting local forecasts with current conditions, Doppler

453
00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:31.519
<v Speaker 2>radar images, a detailed forecasts.

454
00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:35.279
<v Speaker 1>And crucially an hourly forecast for specific planning like should

455
00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:36.119
<v Speaker 1>I go for a run at.

456
00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:38.880
<v Speaker 2>Three pm exactly? The site would remember your location for

457
00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:42.079
<v Speaker 2>quick access. They also provided severe weather advisories.

458
00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:45.240
<v Speaker 1>Of course, gravel features were a major focus too, determining

459
00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:49.119
<v Speaker 1>where to go, checking weather at your destination, monitoring airport

460
00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:49.599
<v Speaker 1>weather and.

461
00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:53.279
<v Speaker 2>Delays, and even tracking specific flight status with free email

462
00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:55.880
<v Speaker 2>or text message alerts. That was pretty advanced for two

463
00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:58.640
<v Speaker 2>thousand and four. Finding driving conditions was also available.

464
00:23:58.759 --> 00:24:02.440
<v Speaker 1>A fun, slightly serious feature noted is weather magnets. Remember

465
00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:05.599
<v Speaker 1>those little widgets vaguely an easy and freeway to add

466
00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:08.240
<v Speaker 1>local weather forecasts to your own website or blog.

467
00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:12.000
<v Speaker 2>Ah right, and yeah, you could actually buy weather gear,

468
00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:16.400
<v Speaker 2>including proper meteorological instruments on the site. Plus they mentioned

469
00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:18.759
<v Speaker 2>premium services like weather dot com.

470
00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:22.799
<v Speaker 1>Gold moving to Microsoft dot Com. The book places it

471
00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:25.920
<v Speaker 1>as one of hundreds of Microsoft sites distinct from MSN

472
00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:29.960
<v Speaker 1>or expedia. It's main purpose consumer oriented technical support and

473
00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:31.519
<v Speaker 1>downloading updates.

474
00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:34.720
<v Speaker 2>And the most critical secret the book points out, expressing

475
00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:38.079
<v Speaker 2>some surprise not everyone utilized it was using Microsoft dot

476
00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:41.519
<v Speaker 2>Com to keep Windows operating systems updated and secure.

477
00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:45.599
<v Speaker 1>Right via Microsoft Update in the download center. Absolutely essential

478
00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:48.440
<v Speaker 1>in an era plagued by viruses and worms like NIMDA

479
00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:49.160
<v Speaker 1>and code read.

480
00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:52.039
<v Speaker 2>The book acknowledges the pain of large downloads on dial

481
00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:54.039
<v Speaker 2>up connections, though that was a real barrier.

482
00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:57.039
<v Speaker 1>Oh yeah. Technical support was largely handled to the Microsoft

483
00:24:57.079 --> 00:24:58.440
<v Speaker 1>Knowledge Base or KB.

484
00:24:58.720 --> 00:25:01.599
<v Speaker 2>The book described searching it by product or problem using

485
00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:05.559
<v Speaker 2>filters and boolean operators, but notes the challenge of navigating

486
00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:07.640
<v Speaker 2>the often very technical language.

487
00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:10.440
<v Speaker 1>You had to learn to search using the precise error

488
00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:13.119
<v Speaker 1>message or the terms tech support would use. It wasn't

489
00:25:13.119 --> 00:25:16.960
<v Speaker 1>always intuitive. The book briefly mentions Microsoft Game studios as.

490
00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:20.039
<v Speaker 2>Well, and it reveals what it calls a hidden entertainment

491
00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:25.640
<v Speaker 2>portal Windowsmedia dot Com hidden well maybe less prominent than MSN,

492
00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:29.400
<v Speaker 2>described as a full featured site for music downloads, streaming,

493
00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:33.920
<v Speaker 2>audio and video, movie trailers, internet radio news, all built

494
00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:36.160
<v Speaker 2>around the Windows Media player.

495
00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:39.039
<v Speaker 1>Ah okay, a whole media hub living under the main

496
00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:43.160
<v Speaker 1>Microsoft umbrella. The book lists other related Microsoft sites too

497
00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:46.160
<v Speaker 1>for developers, it pros international users.

498
00:25:46.359 --> 00:25:49.359
<v Speaker 2>Now let's look at the giants of online commerce and services,

499
00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:53.640
<v Speaker 2>starting with the behemoth eBay. The book identifies it flat

500
00:25:53.640 --> 00:25:57.039
<v Speaker 2>out as the Internet's largest online auction site.

501
00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:59.599
<v Speaker 1>No argument there. It mentions the Sellers and Buyers checklists

502
00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:01.480
<v Speaker 1>as good and starting points for newbies.

503
00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:03.880
<v Speaker 2>And highlights my eBay as the central hub for managing

504
00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:07.880
<v Speaker 2>all your activity, tracking bids, watching items, saving searches, managing

505
00:26:07.880 --> 00:26:11.480
<v Speaker 2>your account details, viewing and leaving feedback, setting preferences everything.

506
00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:16.240
<v Speaker 1>Finding items involved search naturally, including searching by item number,

507
00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:20.000
<v Speaker 1>by specific seller or buyer, searching within eBay stores for

508
00:26:20.119 --> 00:26:21.720
<v Speaker 1>fixed price items.

509
00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:25.079
<v Speaker 2>And searching completed auctions. Really useful for gauging prices. The

510
00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:29.279
<v Speaker 2>book lists search operators specific to eBay's platform.

511
00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:32.599
<v Speaker 1>Saving your favorite searches and easily repeating them from my

512
00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:36.119
<v Speaker 1>eBay was pointed out as a valuable time saver if

513
00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:37.519
<v Speaker 1>you were looking for something specific.

514
00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:42.720
<v Speaker 2>The book explains bidding, including proxy bidding where eBay automatically

515
00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:46.440
<v Speaker 2>bids incrementally for you up to your set maximum amount, and.

516
00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:49.319
<v Speaker 1>A core bonus secret here is simple but crucial advice

517
00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:52.519
<v Speaker 1>don't spend more than you want to set your maximum

518
00:26:52.599 --> 00:26:55.480
<v Speaker 1>bid based on what you're truly willing to pay, not just.

519
00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:57.680
<v Speaker 2>What you think the item is worth to others, or

520
00:26:57.720 --> 00:26:59.920
<v Speaker 2>getting caught in a bidding war and no one to.

521
00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:05.079
<v Speaker 1>Wise advice then and now. Definitely for selling, the book

522
00:27:05.079 --> 00:27:07.839
<v Speaker 1>covers setting a reserve price so your item doesn't sell

523
00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:08.559
<v Speaker 1>too low.

524
00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:10.799
<v Speaker 2>Offering by it now for a fixed price option.

525
00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:14.200
<v Speaker 1>Adding pictures noting the costs beyond the first free photo,

526
00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:18.880
<v Speaker 1>and mentioning picture pack options, also revising listings after they're live,

527
00:27:19.400 --> 00:27:22.559
<v Speaker 1>relisting unsold items, and the process for filing a non

528
00:27:22.599 --> 00:27:23.599
<v Speaker 1>paying bidder alert.

529
00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:27.000
<v Speaker 2>Seller tools like Selling Manager and Selling Manager Pro are

530
00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:31.599
<v Speaker 2>listed for high volume sellers, also eBay stores and third

531
00:27:31.640 --> 00:27:32.880
<v Speaker 2>party Emay assistance.

532
00:27:33.319 --> 00:27:36.920
<v Speaker 1>Turbolister is described as a key secret tool for serious

533
00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:40.960
<v Speaker 1>seller software for creating and managing auction listings offline and

534
00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:42.640
<v Speaker 1>then uploading them in bulk.

535
00:27:42.440 --> 00:27:45.039
<v Speaker 2>And a major secret for sellers wanting to accept credit

536
00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:48.680
<v Speaker 2>cards without being a full blown merchant using PayPal, which

537
00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:51.640
<v Speaker 2>eBay owned by then right exactly, using PayPal as a

538
00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:54.799
<v Speaker 2>middleman service to process payments easily. That was huge for

539
00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:55.599
<v Speaker 2>small sellers.

540
00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:58.359
<v Speaker 1>The book also mentions other third party seller tools like

541
00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:02.119
<v Speaker 1>channel Advisor and hammer Tap, and highlights eBay motors specifically

542
00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:06.200
<v Speaker 1>for buying and selling vehicles, cars, motorcycles, even aircraft.

543
00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:09.480
<v Speaker 2>Wow Aircraft, and the eBay toolbar is noted for tracking

544
00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:13.319
<v Speaker 2>bidding activity directly from your browser, very handy for active bidders.

545
00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:17.960
<v Speaker 1>Okay, Moving to the other e commerce giant, Amazon dot Com,

546
00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:20.720
<v Speaker 1>which even in two thousand and four boast of the

547
00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:26.160
<v Speaker 1>slogan Earth's biggest selection, having long expanded way beyond just books.

548
00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:28.720
<v Speaker 2>And the book explains a key concept that's still relevant.

549
00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:31.640
<v Speaker 2>You weren't always buying directly from Amazon itself.

550
00:28:31.319 --> 00:28:34.160
<v Speaker 1>Right, Merchandise came from different sources. Yeah, there was Amazon's

551
00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:36.880
<v Speaker 1>own inventory ship from their warehouses.

552
00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:40.440
<v Speaker 2>Than major partner retailers like Orders, Target, Toys r US

553
00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:43.680
<v Speaker 2>who fulfilled orders through Amazon's platform.

554
00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:47.480
<v Speaker 1>And also smaller Amazon merchants third party sellers found in

555
00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:51.920
<v Speaker 1>sections like more Buying Choices. It even mentions a specific

556
00:28:51.960 --> 00:28:53.759
<v Speaker 1>partnership with segwe at the time.

557
00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:57.400
<v Speaker 2>Segways on Amazon in two thousand and four. Finding bargains

558
00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:00.759
<v Speaker 2>included looking for used merchandise offered by third party sellers

559
00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:04.759
<v Speaker 2>and checking the Amazon Outlet store for closeouts and overstock deals.

560
00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:08.960
<v Speaker 1>Convenient ordering features included one click ordering still around, various

561
00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:10.519
<v Speaker 1>payment options beyond just.

562
00:29:10.480 --> 00:29:12.920
<v Speaker 2>Credit cards, and the ability to pick up your order

563
00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:17.119
<v Speaker 2>in person at certain retail partner locations using in store pickup.

564
00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:22.559
<v Speaker 1>Interesting gift features were extensive designating items as gifts during checkout,

565
00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:25.799
<v Speaker 1>adding gift wrap and personalized notes, usually.

566
00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:28.200
<v Speaker 2>For a fee, shipping directly to another address, sending gift

567
00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:30.880
<v Speaker 2>certificates either by email or physical mail.

568
00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:34.480
<v Speaker 1>And creating or browsing public wish lists or gift registries.

569
00:29:34.920 --> 00:29:37.640
<v Speaker 1>The book even mentions a gift Wheezard tool to help

570
00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:38.440
<v Speaker 1>you choose gifts.

571
00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:42.839
<v Speaker 2>Personalization and community were key aspects too. The site offered

572
00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:46.359
<v Speaker 2>a personalized start page with recommendations based on your past

573
00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:48.400
<v Speaker 2>purchases and browsing history, and.

574
00:29:48.359 --> 00:29:51.519
<v Speaker 1>You could actively influence those recommendations by rating items you

575
00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:55.400
<v Speaker 1>owned or indicating things you weren't interested in Via improve your.

576
00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:58.960
<v Speaker 2>Recommendations, You could also recommend items to others, create and

577
00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:03.880
<v Speaker 2>browse listmania lists, user curated lists on specific topics and.

578
00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:07.200
<v Speaker 1>So you'd like to guides which were similar user created

579
00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:09.240
<v Speaker 1>guides building that community aspect.

580
00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:13.279
<v Speaker 2>Staying updated included browsing coming soon lists for upcoming products

581
00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:16.599
<v Speaker 2>and getting email alerts for new releases or when out

582
00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:18.440
<v Speaker 2>of stock items became available again.

583
00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:21.839
<v Speaker 1>For selling your own stuff, Amazon offered the Amazon Marketplace

584
00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:25.680
<v Speaker 1>for US items, pro merchants for volume sellers, z shops

585
00:30:25.880 --> 00:30:29.519
<v Speaker 1>their version of storefronts, and even Amazon auctions to compete

586
00:30:29.559 --> 00:30:30.160
<v Speaker 1>with eBay.

587
00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:34.640
<v Speaker 2>Communication and interaction included chat features and discussion boards related

588
00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:36.000
<v Speaker 2>to products or topics.

589
00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:41.160
<v Speaker 1>Browsing and searching involved navigating product categories using power search operators.

590
00:30:41.319 --> 00:30:44.559
<v Speaker 1>The book mentions things like not t and sorting search

591
00:30:44.599 --> 00:30:48.279
<v Speaker 1>results by various criteria. The book even mentions accessing products

592
00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:50.359
<v Speaker 1>directly via URLs if you knew them.

593
00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:54.759
<v Speaker 2>Content features included listening to music samples online, reading books online,

594
00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:57.039
<v Speaker 2>either excerpts or via partners.

595
00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:59.680
<v Speaker 1>Tracking the Amazon sales rank for products, and seeing overall

596
00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:02.119
<v Speaker 1>sales trends via top sellers.

597
00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:05.920
<v Speaker 2>Lists, and mentioning news, weather, sports, movies, finance, even restaurant

598
00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:09.400
<v Speaker 2>info provided by other partner sites integrated into Amazon. There

599
00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:13.960
<v Speaker 2>was a movie showtimes page, and special occasion reminders like birthdays.

600
00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:16.759
<v Speaker 1>It's really fascinating to see how many of these core

601
00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:20.160
<v Speaker 1>features and strategies were already in place at Amazon back

602
00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:22.640
<v Speaker 1>in two thousand and four, laying the groundwork for the

603
00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:23.759
<v Speaker 1>behemoth we know today.

604
00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:28.400
<v Speaker 2>Truly. Next up digital music with Napster two point zero.

605
00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:32.839
<v Speaker 1>Right. This is after the original free and legally dubious

606
00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:35.440
<v Speaker 1>file sharing Napster was shut down exactly.

607
00:31:35.880 --> 00:31:37.720
<v Speaker 2>Napster two point zero in two thousand and four was

608
00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:42.000
<v Speaker 2>a subscription music service requiring a software download. Basic membership

609
00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:45.400
<v Speaker 2>was free for browsing, but actually purchasing or downloading music

610
00:31:45.799 --> 00:31:48.880
<v Speaker 2>cost money. A legitimate pad model.

611
00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:52.200
<v Speaker 1>A major pivot. You could browse and search for music,

612
00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:56.000
<v Speaker 1>buy individual tracks or whole albums using by track or

613
00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:57.000
<v Speaker 1>buy album.

614
00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:59.599
<v Speaker 2>Buttons, and purchase tracks were added to your personal library

615
00:32:00.119 --> 00:32:01.839
<v Speaker 2>and downloaded in the background by the.

616
00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:05.119
<v Speaker 1>Software managing music centered around the library page. Within the

617
00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:08.359
<v Speaker 1>Napster software, you could build playlists of your favorite.

618
00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:11.079
<v Speaker 2>Tracks and listen to and create mixtapes, which the book

619
00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:14.079
<v Speaker 2>describes as collections of songs you could stream or potentially

620
00:32:14.119 --> 00:32:15.240
<v Speaker 2>burn to a CD. Later.

621
00:32:15.559 --> 00:32:18.799
<v Speaker 1>Listening options included using Napster's built in music player for

622
00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:22.960
<v Speaker 1>real time streaming of tracks you owned or maybe subscription content.

623
00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:25.240
<v Speaker 2>Listening to curated Napster radio stations, and.

624
00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:27.640
<v Speaker 1>For premium members. The book mentions being able to listen

625
00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:30.920
<v Speaker 1>to the entire Napster library while surfing the web full

626
00:32:30.920 --> 00:32:31.799
<v Speaker 1>streaming access.

627
00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:35.400
<v Speaker 2>They also had features for sharing songs via email, likely

628
00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:39.519
<v Speaker 2>links not the files themselves, and accessing Napster's own message

629
00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:40.960
<v Speaker 2>boards for community discussion.

630
00:32:41.319 --> 00:32:44.599
<v Speaker 1>The book lists the competitive landscape for legal digital music

631
00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:48.240
<v Speaker 1>back then Apple's iTunes music store was a big one.

632
00:32:48.119 --> 00:32:52.519
<v Speaker 2>Buy music dot Com music match downloads eMusic and Rhapsody,

633
00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:54.960
<v Speaker 2>noting Rhapsody's connection back to Lycos again.

634
00:32:55.359 --> 00:32:58.279
<v Speaker 1>It also mentions the ability to import your own existing

635
00:32:58.359 --> 00:33:01.799
<v Speaker 1>local audio files like threes you already had into the

636
00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:04.559
<v Speaker 1>Napster library to manage everything in one place.

637
00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:08.759
<v Speaker 2>This really shows the early diverse field of legal digital

638
00:33:08.839 --> 00:33:11.279
<v Speaker 2>music services trying to figure out the business model and

639
00:33:11.400 --> 00:33:14.759
<v Speaker 2>user experience after the original Napster completely shook up the

640
00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:15.759
<v Speaker 2>music industry.

641
00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:18.759
<v Speaker 1>Lefting a transitional period okay shifting to online travel now

642
00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:22.880
<v Speaker 1>with Expedia described as a popular one stop online travel agency.

643
00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:26.240
<v Speaker 2>Or Ota had its origins at Microsoft but was owned

644
00:33:26.279 --> 00:33:29.759
<v Speaker 2>by Iacenteractivecore by two thousand and four. Its big strength

645
00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:32.799
<v Speaker 2>was packaging flights, hotels, and rental cars together easily.

646
00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:36.240
<v Speaker 1>The book shares some useful nuances, though not all airlines

647
00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:39.440
<v Speaker 1>were always listed on Expedia, especially some budget carriers.

648
00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:42.400
<v Speaker 2>But you could restrict your search filters to only show

649
00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:46.160
<v Speaker 2>flights from specific airlines you preferred, and you could book

650
00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:49.559
<v Speaker 2>complex multi leg trips not just simple round trips.

651
00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:53.759
<v Speaker 1>It highlights search flexibility too, like the option to display

652
00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:57.640
<v Speaker 1>flights based on preferred departure or rival time instead of

653
00:33:57.680 --> 00:34:01.279
<v Speaker 1>just sorting strictly by the lowest price, useful if your

654
00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:02.599
<v Speaker 1>schedule wasn't flexible.

655
00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:06.240
<v Speaker 2>Mentioned finding cheap flights was obviously a key goal. Other

656
00:34:06.279 --> 00:34:11.159
<v Speaker 2>booking types included vacation packages, flight plus hotel deals, searching

657
00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:13.480
<v Speaker 2>specifically for hotels, and finding rental cars.

658
00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:16.159
<v Speaker 1>You could look for last minute travel deals specifically and

659
00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:19.280
<v Speaker 1>sign up for travel deals via email alerts to get

660
00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:20.400
<v Speaker 1>notified about sales.

661
00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:24.320
<v Speaker 2>A neat feature mentioned for undecided travelers was let Expedia

662
00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:26.360
<v Speaker 2>help you determine where you want to go, some kind

663
00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:30.480
<v Speaker 2>of destination suggestion tool based on your interests or budget. Perhaps.

664
00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:34.280
<v Speaker 1>They also offered integrated maps and driving direction services common

665
00:34:34.320 --> 00:34:35.519
<v Speaker 1>for travel sites.

666
00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:38.199
<v Speaker 2>And Reassuringly, the book notes that even though you booked online,

667
00:34:38.199 --> 00:34:40.599
<v Speaker 2>you could still call them if you encountered problems. It

668
00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:44.320
<v Speaker 2>actually lists their phone numbers eight hundred Expedia and a

669
00:34:44.360 --> 00:34:45.079
<v Speaker 2>direct line.

670
00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:47.880
<v Speaker 1>Good to know there was still a human safety net

671
00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:53.559
<v Speaker 1>easily accessible. Finally, map quest, the book starts by emphasizing

672
00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:56.400
<v Speaker 1>it's more than just a website for maps.

673
00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:59.079
<v Speaker 2>It details the variety of inputs you could use to

674
00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:02.000
<v Speaker 2>find a map. A specific street address, just a city

675
00:35:02.119 --> 00:35:05.519
<v Speaker 2>or zip code, an area code, latitude and longitude, coordinates,

676
00:35:05.719 --> 00:35:06.920
<v Speaker 2>or even an airport code.

677
00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:10.800
<v Speaker 1>A practical pit from the book spell out city names fully,

678
00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:15.199
<v Speaker 1>like New York City, not just NYC for best results.

679
00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:19.079
<v Speaker 2>The interactive map features included zooming in and out, recentering

680
00:35:19.079 --> 00:35:22.119
<v Speaker 2>the map on a point, and panning using directional aero

681
00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:25.119
<v Speaker 2>controls standard stuff now that key.

682
00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:28.599
<v Speaker 1>Then you could customize the map display using a customized

683
00:35:28.599 --> 00:35:32.519
<v Speaker 1>map page, adding landmarks, maybe traffic info if available.

684
00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:34.639
<v Speaker 2>And adding a second location marker to a map, maybe

685
00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:37.679
<v Speaker 2>to see two points relative to each other. Saving maps

686
00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:39.119
<v Speaker 2>for later Reference was also a.

687
00:35:39.079 --> 00:35:41.400
<v Speaker 1>Feature for finding places on the map. You could search

688
00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:45.159
<v Speaker 1>using Yellow Pages categories like pizza or banks, or search

689
00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:47.760
<v Speaker 1>for a specific business name. This could also help find

690
00:35:47.800 --> 00:35:49.039
<v Speaker 1>street addresses if you didn't know.

691
00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:51.960
<v Speaker 2>Them, and getting driving directions was of course a core function.

692
00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:56.199
<v Speaker 2>It provided text based turn by turn instructions by default.

693
00:35:56.039 --> 00:35:59.039
<v Speaker 1>Or you could fine tune using routing options to get

694
00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:02.400
<v Speaker 1>turned by turns with tech showing mini maps for each

695
00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:04.760
<v Speaker 1>step alongside the instructions, And.

696
00:36:04.719 --> 00:36:08.199
<v Speaker 2>The book reveals a final secret. Map Quest apparently had

697
00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:11.559
<v Speaker 2>an online world Atless feature available somewhere on the site

698
00:36:11.760 --> 00:36:13.000
<v Speaker 2>beyond just the roadmaps.

699
00:36:13.159 --> 00:36:16.679
<v Speaker 1>Wow. Okay. Looking back through this two thousand and four book,

700
00:36:17.159 --> 00:36:20.960
<v Speaker 1>you really see the web grappling with organizing vast amounts

701
00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:27.719
<v Speaker 1>of information, connecting people, facilitating commerce, and providing essential daily services, all.

702
00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:31.400
<v Speaker 2>Through interfaces that, as the book shows, often hid surprising

703
00:36:31.480 --> 00:36:33.800
<v Speaker 2>depth and clever functionality beneath the surface.

704
00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:37.159
<v Speaker 1>It truly is a fascinating snapshot. Extracting these secrets from

705
00:36:37.159 --> 00:36:39.519
<v Speaker 1>a book published over twenty years ago shows not just

706
00:36:39.559 --> 00:36:42.000
<v Speaker 1>how far we've come technologically.

707
00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:44.519
<v Speaker 2>But also the foundational ideas and user focused solutions that

708
00:36:44.519 --> 00:36:47.280
<v Speaker 2>were being developed way back then. The portal's trying to

709
00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:50.719
<v Speaker 2>be everything, the search engines, specializing in finding things, the

710
00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:53.639
<v Speaker 2>service sites, building focused tools for specific tasks.

711
00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:57.480
<v Speaker 1>It gives you those aha moments seeing the early versions

712
00:36:57.519 --> 00:37:00.400
<v Speaker 1>of things we use every single day now and realizing

713
00:37:00.440 --> 00:37:04.199
<v Speaker 1>how much thought went into designing functionality for users, even

714
00:37:04.320 --> 00:37:07.440
<v Speaker 1>if it wasn't always immediately obvious or easy to find.

715
00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:10.039
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it really reinforces that idea that even the most

716
00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:14.639
<v Speaker 2>familiar digital tools often have layers of capability waiting to

717
00:37:14.679 --> 00:37:17.719
<v Speaker 2>be discovered if you just you know, know where or

718
00:37:17.719 --> 00:37:19.920
<v Speaker 2>how to look or what question to ask.

719
00:37:20.000 --> 00:37:22.039
<v Speaker 1>It makes you wonder what's still hidden in plain sight

720
00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:24.719
<v Speaker 1>on the websites and apps we use constantly today all

721
00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:27.719
<v Speaker 1>the time. Exactly how many features go unused because people

722
00:37:27.800 --> 00:37:28.599
<v Speaker 1>just don't know they're there?

723
00:37:28.840 --> 00:37:31.119
<v Speaker 2>Right So, here's the thought to leave you with after

724
00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:33.639
<v Speaker 2>this deep dive into two thousand and four's web secrets.

725
00:37:34.119 --> 00:37:37.119
<v Speaker 2>If a single book from back then could uncover literally

726
00:37:37.320 --> 00:37:39.719
<v Speaker 2>hundreds of less known features on the major websites of

727
00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:43.880
<v Speaker 2>that era, how many secrets? How much untapped power do

728
00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:46.960
<v Speaker 2>you think is lying undiscovered within the digital tools you

729
00:37:47.000 --> 00:37:50.760
<v Speaker 2>interact with constantly every single day? Right now? What might

730
00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:53.599
<v Speaker 2>you find if you stop just navigating the surface and

731
00:37:53.679 --> 00:37:55.880
<v Speaker 2>started intentionally exploring the deeper layers