Sites shouldn't suck

The internet is a wonderful thing. I grew up with it, and if were born after 1995  it's most likely been a key part of your childhood as well. When I was just a little kid, the internet was a wondrous, strange and sometimes even a scary place. I loved surfing the web. Yeah, loved. The internet is not what it used to be and with Platform Vintage I hope we've added to the web I used to like.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying: "Back when I was young everything was better." Definitely not. The internet was also a terrible place. No safeguards, guide rails or parental controls. Again, if you used the internet in the 00s chances are you saw some things you'd rather not have seen. Attitudes on the internet weren't so much better then than they are now either. 

But two things were wildly different, starting with the most important one: the usage. Number one is how you use the internet. It's a boomer term nowadays, but surfing the web used to be something you'd do. You'd use Google (maybe even Yahoo!), find other sites that would link to sites that would link to a forum that would lead you to another site. You'd scour the web and you made your own experience. Hardly any algorithms, few AI blackboxes that would tell you what video to watch, no endless scrolling on personalised slop feeds. You had to find your entertainment, you'd have to decide to watch, read or view what you'd want to. This made the internet experience much more of a personal experience, instead of a 'personalised experience'.

Crafted with love

The other thing, and now we're getting to the stuff I'm even more passionate about, is site design. Whatever you want to say about the Web1.0 design, it was almost always unique. So many people had their own little site, which they crafted with love and poured their personalities in. It made for an interesting internet. One where every domain was a surprise. Today, frankly, it is not. Most site designers shy away from colour like cats from dogs. 

That's the part of the internet that I miss. The internet felt so much more like a city where everyone could have their own little space. Everyone who wanted a site had one, and did with it as they pleased. No restrictive automated site builders, but people who, as their hobby, built beautiful(y atrocious) sites, exactly to their vision. There was a certain craftmanship that is just not here anymore. 

'Free' platforms don't offer free speech

And yeah, our site is built through a restrictive automated site builder (Shopify), but we've done our best to beat the odds and be a unique and odd looking website. We also do our best to make our personalities shine through our website. Because the internet is something that cannot be owned. It belongs to all of us. Belongs to me, belongs to you, belongs to us. Claim your space, don't just use services that dumb you and your internet usage down. Free speech on the internet is not dead, it's just muted by companies whose services you use. There is no right to free speech on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook or whatever. You're using a service. Their rules apply. Only on your site do your rules apply. 

Talking about rules... We've thoroughly debated if we did or did not want the ability for you to place comments on our blogs. The pros are: we're more of a Platform that way. Cons: moderation. Who knows what people will place on our blogs.. I mean, I trust you. But that other guy who's reading this right now? Totally shifty. 

Are there any sites that you would recommend that are more community-based? Comment below!