Inside the old church where one trillion webpages are being saved
6 days ago
- #Digital Preservation
- #Internet Archive
- #Wayback Machine
- The Internet Archive, located in a former Christian Scientist church in San Francisco, preserves web history through its Wayback Machine.
- The Wayback Machine saves web pages' content and technical architecture, allowing replay even if original servers are down.
- Recently, the Wayback Machine logged its trillionth page, highlighting its role as a living history of the internet.
- The Internet Archive now also captures AI-generated content, like ChatGPT responses, adapting to changes in how information is consumed.
- Founder Brewster Kahle emphasizes the importance of preserving diverse viewpoints, inspired by historical libraries like Alexandria.
- The archive maintains global server backups to protect against disasters and political pressures, ensuring long-term accessibility.
- The headquarters features digitization labs, vintage media, and employee statues, reflecting the quirky, community-driven spirit of the internet.
- Kahle sees the archive as a resource for future innovation, not a museum, enabling others to build on preserved knowledge.