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The original "web" was built to serve files, with a special kind of markup called Hyper Text that could reference another file with a Hyper Link. Browsers today
by cjslep 8y ago
The original "web" was built to serve files, with a special kind of markup called Hyper Text that could reference another file with a Hyper Link. Browsers today will still treat servers like a filesystem if it's old enough.
It took a decade to get the JavaScript cruft and layers of browser features that basically makes the modern browser a native gaming-like app with a gigantic scripting engine and a fat pipe internet connection.
It's possible iterations on IPFS could parallel the current web. But I am not a fortune teller. I just wanted to be sure we all understand where the web came from: serving files as if a gigantic connected filesystem.
- zaarn 8y agoBrowsers don't treat any server like a filesystem. If you see a directory index; that is generated purely on the server.
- CompuHacker 8y agoIn the process of researching and writing a one-line quip about FTP and Gopher, I found that Google Chrome will tell you not to enter credit card details or sensitive information over the insecure connection... to an FTP server. That being said, FTP though.