Internet time machine / 2011

2011, kept in the archive.

Backdrop

The Internet in 2011

YouTube preview for the Minecraft 1.0 introduction at Minecon.

Year reference

Minecraft 1.0

A blocky indie world became a lasting social universe.

Source: Mega64 at Minecon on YouTube
  • Snapchat arrived while smartphones made short-lived, camera-first communication feel increasingly normal.
  • Adobe ended Flash development for mobile browsers, signaling that the web’s next era would be designed around mobile video and HTML5.
Read Adobe’s Flash-on-mobile announcement

Archive order

Archive picks

01

Chris Torres’s original Nyan Cat animation

Meme · Pixel animation and single-serving site

Nyan Cat

A Pop-Tart cat flew through space until your browser became a rainbow loop.

animationcatspixel art
Archive score97

02

Ultimate Dog Tease video preview

Video · Talking-animal voiceover

Ultimate Dog Tease

A dog wanted bacon. The internet wanted to hear the entire conversation.

youtubedogsvoiceover
Archive score95

03

Jack Sparrow (feat. Michael Bolton) video preview

Video · SNL Digital Short and comedy music video

Jack Sparrow (feat. Michael Bolton)

The Lonely Island asked Michael Bolton for a club-rap hook. He delivered an uncontrollable Pirates of the Caribbean sequel.

snlthe lonely islandmichael bolton
Archive score94

04

Condescending Wonka video preview

Meme · Advice-animal image macro

Condescending Wonka

A Gene Wilder smirk became the internet’s polite way to say, “Please continue being wrong.”

advice animalsimage macrosarcasm
Archive score91

05

The Creep video preview

Video · SNL Digital Short and dance parody

The Creep

Three men in bad suits turned social awkwardness into a dance move.

snlyoutubecomedy music
Archive score91