Launch of WikiWikiWeb by Ward Cunningham

Launch of WikiWikiWeb by Ward Cunningham - Historical event on March 25th, 1995
How Long Ago?

30 years, 8 months, 29 days ago

Location
Portland, Oregon, USA
Category

Technology & Innovation

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  • Ward Cunningham
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Launch of WikiWikiWeb by Ward Cunningham

Ward Cunningham made the WikiWikiWeb, the first wiki, public, enabling collaborative web editing. This innovation allowed users to easily create and edit web pages collectively, fostering a new way of sharing information online. The project was part of the Portland Pattern Repository, designed to showcase patterns in software design. The Wiki established the foundation for future wikis and online collaborative platforms.

First wiki website enabling collaborative editing

Conceived by Ward Cunningham in Portland, Oregon

Roots in documenting software design patterns

Changed how online information is shared globally

What Happened?

Ward Cunningham, a software developer, launched WikiWikiWeb, the first wiki platform, as part of the Portland Pattern Repository. This groundbreaking website allowed users to collaboratively create, edit, and hyperlink content in a way that was previously not possible with static web pages. The name 'wiki' derives from the Hawaiian word for 'quick,' reflecting the platform's intended ease of use. Cunningham envisioned a space where software design patterns could be documented and shared, enabling developers to learn from each other and iterate on their work efficiently. With its user-friendly interface and simple markup language, WikiWikiWeb quickly became a tool for knowledge sharing across various fields beyond software engineering, leading to an explosion of collaborative websites. As the first wiki, it set the stage for the development of other well-known wikis, including Wikipedia. The movement towards user-generated content gained momentum, which would eventually reshape how information is curated and accessed online, encouraging more open and democratized forms of knowledge sharing.

Why Does it Matter?

The launch of WikiWikiWeb is significant as it marks the beginning of the wiki phenomenon that revolutionized online collaboration. It demonstrated the potential for user-generated content and paved the way for platforms that allow collective knowledge creation, such as Wikipedia. This shift has had lasting implications for how information is shared and disseminated globally.

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