Webby awards which honor excellence in internet recently declared top ten events which have changed the internet world. I have added few of my own….

1.    Google search: Google has revolutionized the search engine by creating business and relevant logic. Websites with good back links from a reputed website gets higher ranking than other sites. The algorithm patented by Google is still the best in the industry. Also by creating and providing free tools to its visitors, they have created a new business model of “Free”!

2.    Wikipedia, the free open-source encyclopedia, launched in 2001 and boasts more than 14 million articles in 271 different languages and bringing strangers together on projects. It has made the leader in this industry Britannica encyclopedia run for its money. Britannica can never compete with Wikipedia which updates its content every minute/day versus Britannica’s every two years!

3.    Craigslist: By offering free listings and bringing both seller and buyer together in not-so-technical environment, it has followed the footsteps of goggle by offering this service for Free!

4.    YouTube: Online video revolution in 2006 that led to a boom in homemade and professional content on the Internet and helped reshape everything from pop culture to politics. It gave power to common man, with absolutely no experience in making and publishing video to share their thoughts and views.

5.    Facebook in 2006 created totally new category and media for people to share ideas, thoughts, their likes /dislikes, passion and much more. It connected them even with their friends with whom they had lost contacts for several years and even decades.

6.    Google IPO in 2004 was a paradigm shift in how a company can sell and promote its IPO and how people can bid for them in an auction style stock allotment.

7.    Ebay: Prior to ebay, no one even thought they can trust a total stranger for buying stuff prior to receiving the goods. It brought people with same passion and option to buy things which are nearly impossible to find.

8.    iPhone debut in 2007 made a luxury item to a necessity with an app for just about every aspect of modern life.

9.    Internet and technology usage in 2008 U.S. presidential campaign: The Internet changed every facet of the way campaigns are run. From websites, blogs, banner ads to twitter. From database to personal emails. This campaign used every option and tool to reach their voters.

10. Twitter use in recent Iranian election protests: Twitter proved vital in organizing demonstrations and as a protest too. Even after banning all major news network, the world could ‘see’ things which were not possible without twitter.

I would love to hear from you on your thoughts on things in internet or in technology which have sculptured our future.