With the rise of web-based search engines like Google and Yahoo, Archie had faded into obscurity. However, years later, Archie has been revived and is operational once again. Originally developed in 1989, the world’s first search engine, Archie, has been brought out of the annals of history. The YouTube channel “The Serial Port” managed to find the software for this offline search engine and successfully got Archie up and running again.
The ‘Last Copy’ of the Software Found
Named after the word “archive,” Archie was groundbreaking when it was developed during a time when the internet was still limited. Before web-based search engines became popular, Archie allowed for the search of anonymous FTP servers, which was revolutionary. Until then, file transfers were limited or done manually, and with Archie, anyone with internet access could easily perform these searches. However, as web-based search engines like Google and Yahoo gained popularity, Archie gradually faded from memory.
Recognizing the historical significance of Archie and the need to preserve it, “The Serial Port” YouTube channel released a video about their efforts to revive the search engine. The team conducted extensive research and, with the help of a system administrator from the University of Warsaw, managed to find Archie’s source code. These codes were likely the last remaining copies available online.
Archie Revived After Years
After finding the source code, the team successfully brought Archie back to life. The world’s first search engine, Archie, has been made publicly available for everyone to use. You can click here to use Archie, and you can access the original source code from here.
What do you think about the revival of Archie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
