---
tags: [world-wide-web, computer-history]
created: Monday, November 04, 2024
---

# ecec56e6_precursors_to_search_engines

Before search engines as searchable indices of all content on the web, the
custom was for ISPs, browsers and websites (e.g. Yahoo!) to provide directories
of links to other sites. They functioned as sort of global web-portals.

![Yahoo's original homepage](../img/yahoo-original-homepage.png)

_The Yahoo! homepage from 1999._

![AltaVista homepage](../img/alta-vista.png)

_The AltaVista homepage from 1999. It has a primitive search engine but also
directories of sites._