Evolution of the Web Versus the Internet

Overview
The web has gone through several distinct evolutionary stages:


 * Stage 1. First was the research phase, when the web was called the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). During this time, the web was primarily used by academia for research purposes.


 * Stage 2. The second phase of the web can be coined “brochureware.” Characterized by the domain name “gold rush,” this stage focused on the need for almost every company to share information on the Internet so that people could learn about products and services.


 * Stage 3. The third evolution moved the web from static data to transactional information, where products and services could be bought and sold, and services could be delivered. During this phase, companies like eBay and Amazon.com exploded on the scene. This phase also will be infamously remembered as the “dot-com” boom and bust.


 * Stage 4. The fourth stage, where we are now, is the “social” or “experience” web, where companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Groupon have become immensely popular and profitable (a notable distinction from the third stage of the web) by allowing people to communicate, connect, and share information (text, photos, and video) about themselves with friends, family, and colleagues. (p.5)