Fifteen Sites That Changed The World, Plus Three

From a UK perspective, I'd add lastminute.com - not because the site itself does that much but because its floatation was the last of the enormously over-hyped IPOs that burst the bubble.

B.L., this post needs a correction.

The Internet was originally created during the late 1960s. Katie Hafner's book, Where Wizards Stay Up Late, provides a very entertaining account of the 'Net's early days.

It's the commercialized version of the Internet that is now 15 years old.

Skype has changed the world?

YouTube has changed the world?

Wikipedia has changed the world?

Some on the list -- all 18 -- have, but most have not. Most of the world has not heard of these. You must be talking about a 'net-centric world, B.L.
Mike

Martha: right you are. I guess you also could say the web became widely available 15 years ago

The world is more net centric every day.

So are you saying the net didn't change the world?

B.L. (assuming your last comment was directed to me):

Yes the commercial version of the Internet has definitely changed the world. But, sites/services like Skype, YouTube, Wikipedia, and most of the others on the list have not.

A few like AOL (not Messenger, but the IP service in pushing people to be online), Amazon and the original Napster have changed the world. At least significant parts of the world (like the music industry for Napster).

-- Mike

Mike- consider also that record companies, airlines, travel agents, car companies, computer makers, phone companies, the film industry, network television -- well, there's hardly an industry that hasn't felt the impact - have all had to change the way they do business because of companies like Skype, Autobytel,YouTube and others on the list.

I think you have to look beyond the online, net-centric community to the impact on business beyond the net, and then you'll see how/why/when these companies changed the world.

:>)