The WebRing.com System

Overview

This page provides a general overview of the history, features and functions of the WebRing.com system.

Summary

	This is the new logo for the WebRing.com system, implemented in their changes of Oct.2006. It distinguishes this webring system from the other systems like Ringlink, RingSurf and Bravenet. See also my articles: WebRing.com Logos and Is Webring a Trademark?

The WebRing.com system is the successor to the Yahoo! WebRing system.

On Thursday 04.Oct.2001, the Yahoo! WebRing system experienced a large and catastrophic failure. As a result of that failure, a large number of memberships were temporarily lost.

The tech working on the Yahoo! WebRing system worked to restore the system and to resolve the problem. During this time the system was forced out of service. All functions that would modify user defined information (e.g., creating webrings, joining webrings, adding or deleting members, etc.) were disabled.

On Friday, 12.Oct.2001, the word began to spread that Yahoo! was exiting the webring business.

An email was broadcast to all Yahoo! WebRing account holders with the information.

Word began to spread across the net:

1. Yahoo!'s involvement in the Yahoo! WebRing system was ending.
    
2. This exodus began 12.Apr.2001 with the shutdown of the searchable directory. Yahoo! wanted to shut down Yahoo! WebRing completely.
    
3. At that time, one of the former techs from the Original WebRing, laid off by Yahoo!, offered to step forward and take it over.
    
4. For the next six months (to the day!) that one tech worked to maintain the system independent of Yahoo!
    
5. On 12.Oct.2001 these changes were first announced.
   Click here to see the email.

Where Did the System Come From?

I have much of the history of webrings on my Webring FAQ page. But here is a brief summary:

• Sage Weil designed the original webring in May 1994 based on EUROPa.
   
• In June 1995, Sage Weil created Webring, the system..
   
• In 1997, Sage Weil sold Webring to Starseed, Inc.
   
• In 1998 Geocities bought Starseed.
   
• In early 1999 Yahoo! bought Geocities.
   
• On 05.Sep.2000, in an event I (and others) refer to as "the assimilation", Yahoo! relaunched the service as Yahoo! WebRing. (Suffice it to say we weren't particularly happy with the development; I began The Wazillion Navbars Project in response.)
   
• In April 2001, Yahoo! decided to leave the webring business and agreed to transfer it to one of the original Webring.org technicians. This decision was kept secret. The only "hint" was the disabling of the search directory.
   
• During the next six months, this technician kept the Yahoo! WebRing system working and developed the new system as well.
   
• On Thursday 04.Oct.2001, the Yahoo! WebRing system experienced a large and catastrophic failure. This failure accelerated the migration from the Yahoo! WebRing system to the new system.
   
• On 12.Oct.2001 initial information about this transfer was published to a small set of users. In the next few days it was widely broadcast to the entire Yahoo! WebRing system.

How is the WebRing.com System Different?

The WebRing.com system is the largest of the webring systems. It has the most webrings and the most members. It is also the oldest, the direct descendent of the one that Sage Weil created.

Other webring systems developed over the years, and, in 2000, Yahoo's assimilation of the system caused several of these systems to see immediate surges in memberships and webrings as many fled the Yahoo changes.

When Yahoo! assimilated the Original WebRing system, it also introduced the concept of a JavaScript delivered Navbar and the Navbar Stack. The WebRing.com system is the only major webring system currently using this concept. All other webring systems use only native HTML.

After Yahoo let go, the WebRing.com system provided support for native HTML as well. However, as of this writing (Aug 2002), there is no way for a RingMaster to require the use of native HTML and also no way to require the use of the JavaScript and to prohibit HTML.

In Jul 2002, the WebRing.com system introduced another change: the Single Navbar Option. This also creates a difference between the WebRing.com system and other systems. Other systems display all control panels; the WebRing.com system only display one, unless certain circumstances are met.

What is in this Section?

This section of my website provides help in understanding the WebRing.com system. It offers help pages and instructions.

What If I Can't Find What I'm Looking For?

Simple: just email me.

I'd be pleased to personally assist you.

What Else?

I operate several webrings in the WebRing.com system. I am always looking for another one. If you have a webring in the WebRing.com system that you no longer want to keep, I'd be interested in adopting it.

If you'd like to contact me, just email me.

A Personal Note:
If You Want to Delete Your Webring

If you are considering deleting your WebRing.com webring, please do not delete it. Instead, please contact me . I would be pleased to adopt it from you. I will personally work with you to make that transition smooth and painless.

I'm sorry. While I have long adopted webrings in the WebRing.com system, because of the Oct.2006 changes, I am no longer doing that.

However, please note that "deleting" your webring is a fruitless exercise. The system will just restore it and place it up for adoption.

Webring News and Announcements

WebRing.com Changes Big Time ---  It was October 2001 that WebRing.com came into existence following the end of Yahoo! Webring. Now, 5 years later, WebRing.com is changing again. Moving from primarily a free service to primarily a paid service, the system is undergoing massive change. Stay tuned.

Ringlink Activity  ---  While Ringlink has not released a new version since Version 3.2 on 21.Feb.2005, the system seems to be getting a lot of activity. Many people are discovering this great webring system and moving their webrings here. If you don't know about Ringlink, definitely check out this great webring system. I personally recommend it.

WoW  ---  The World of Webrings features the World of Webrings discussion list. It offers a forum for both webring owners (ringmasters) and webring members to discuss the latest hot topics about all webrings, including WebRing.com, Ringlink , Alt-Webring, RingSurf, Bravenet and others. If you belong to any webring in any webring service, you should join this list.

RingSurf Passes 3 Year Anniversary  ---  It was 3 years ago, on 16.Aug.2003 when the WoW list list noted that RingSurf's domain name registration had changed. Then the new owner came forward. A RingSurf Feature List was developed and debated. Then, on Thanksgiving day, 27.Nov.2003 the new owner posted on the WoW list that the new RingSurf is up! If you haven't checked it out lately, see what has happened in the last three years.

Article About Webrings  ---  Check out this excellent Salon.com article about the history of Yahoo! and WebRing.com: The Strange Saga of Yahoo and Webring . For some, it will bring back memories. For others, it will explain the history. Now, I wonder if they will update it to talk about the latest WebRing.com changes.

Articles About the WebRing.com System

Webring Sections and Subsections

The Webring Section is a large section of my website. I have divided it into four major "subsections".

• General Information
• The WebRing.com System
• Webrings I Own and Belong To
• The Wazillion Navbars Project

Each "subsection" has it's own special "logo".

As you travel in the various subsections you will find, near the bottom of each page, links to pages within that subsection and also links to the other subsections. To go to any subsection, just click on the "logo" or on the text link for that subsection.

Webrings: General Information

This subsection includes general information about webrings. Webrings can be hosted by a variety of different services. This section deals with the overall concepts and issues, not with any one particular "brand" of webring.

It includes my Webring FAQ, links to articles about webrings, and general help information. Click here or on the graphic.

The Wazillion Navbars Project

This subsection is a historical section about the Yahoo! WebRing system. It was begun during the early days of problems with the Yahoo! WebRing system in September 2000.

It ended when the Yahoo! WebRing system spun off into the independent WebRing.com system in October 2001. I maintain it for the historical record. Click here or on the graphic.

Webrings I Own and Belong To

This subsection shows all the webrings I own and links to all the webrings to which I belong. This includes webrings in Ringlink, RingSurf, Bravenet and the WebRing.com system as well.

If you are looking to join one of my webrings, this is a good place to start. If you wonder about the webrings I belong to, this is the place to go. Click here or on the graphic.

Last updated:
19:49, Tue, 19.Aug.2008