Best of the Web Awards 1994: Celebrating the Early Internet
In the early days of the internet, the digital landscape was a frontier of experimentation. To recognize the pioneers shaping this new medium, Brandon Plewe established the "Best of WWW" contest. The resulting Best of the Web Awards, announced on May 26, served as a snapshot of the web's infancy, highlighting the services and individuals that defined the user experience in 1994.
The selection process was democratic and transparent, consisting of a two-month open nomination period followed by two weeks of open voting. In total, 5,225 votes were cast, with the winning entries averaging approximately 100 votes each.
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Key Facts
- Organizer: Brandon Plewe.
- Total Votes: 5,225.
- Top Honor: The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) won Best Overall Site.
- Hall of Fame: Six influential figures were inducted and awarded engraved Chromachron watches.
- Voting Period: Two months for nominations and two weeks for voting.
Award Categories and Winners
The awards spanned a wide variety of categories, from technical merit to creative design, reflecting the diverse ways the World Wide Web was being utilized.
General and Commercial Services
The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, took the top prize for Best Overall Site. In the commercial sector, O'Reilly and Associates was recognized as the Best Commercial Service, while the Globewide Network Academy won Best Campus-Wide Information Service.
Education, Professionalism, and Entertainment
Educational excellence was awarded to Marcus Speh for his work on Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming Using C++. In the professional realm, OncoLink from U. Pennsylvania won for Best Professional Service. For those seeking leisure, the Sports Information Service by Eric Richard at MIT was named the Best Entertainment Service.
Technical Innovation and Design
Technical prowess was a major theme of the 1994 awards. The Xerox Map Server by Steve Putz won both Best Use of Interaction and Most Technical Merit. For aesthetics and layout, Travels With Samantha by Phillip Greenspun of MIT won Best Document Design, while Le Louvre by Nicolas Pioch won Best Use of Multiple Media.
Navigation and Conceptual Milestones
As the web grew, finding information became critical. The World-Wide Web Worm by Oliver McBryan won Best Navigational Aid. Additionally, the award for Most Important Service Concept was given to Marc Andreessen's What's New on the WWW (June 1993), recognizing its role in helping users track the rapidly evolving web.
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Summary of 1994 Award Winners
| Category | Winner | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall Site | NCSA | U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign |
| Best Commercial Service | O'Reilly and Associates | O'Reilly and Associates |
| Best Professional Service | OncoLink | U. Pennsylvania |
| Best Navigational Aid | World-Wide Web Worm | U. Colorado CS |
| Most Technical Merit | Map Server | Xerox PARC |
| Best Document Design | Travels With Samantha | MIT |
| Best Use of Multiple Media | Le Louvre | Telecom Paris |
World Wide Web Hall of Fame
Beyond specific site awards, the contest honored individuals whose contributions fundamentally altered the trajectory of the internet. These inductees were presented with a Chromachron watch engraved with the WWW logo.
- Tim Berners-Lee (CERN)
- Marc Andreessen (Netscape Communications Co., formerly NCSA)
- Eric Bina (Netscape Communications Co., formerly NCSA)
- Kevin Hughes (InMobi, formerly Honolulu C.C.)
- Rob Hartill (Los Alamos National Lab, formerly U. Wales College at Cardiff)
- Lou Montulli (Netscape Communications Co., formerly U. Kansas)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who organized the Best of the Web Awards?
The awards were organized by Brandon Plewe following the "Best of WWW" contest.
How were the winners determined?
Winners were selected through a two-month open nomination period and a two-week open voting period, with a total of 5,225 votes cast.
Which site won the Best Overall Site award in 1994?
The National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, won the Best Overall Site award.
What was the prize for the World Wide Web Hall of Fame inductees?
Inductees received a Chromachron watch engraved with the World Wide Web (WWW) logo.
Which service was recognized for the Most Important Service Concept?
The award went to "What's New on the WWW," created by Marc Andreessen at NCSA in June 1993.