This was the original brief, invite information and welcoming message that led to the launch of Project 2424.
Welcome to the first ID online content event
“The Future Independent Web: Visions of What's to Come.” Originally launched on May 17, 2001, the 10th anniversary of the WWW, Independents Day was born to raise awareness of the independent web.
What inspired us? One: the web is about people: day in day out around the world, it’s people who make the web such a fabulous medium. Two: the web is about independent, individual and collective projects; creativity is its ultimate substance and sustenance. Three: the vitality and living legacy of the independent community!
Many thanks to the web artists and writers who’ve contributed their insights and visions to this event. They are giving the most important asset they own: time. The enthusiasm and diversity of essays is a sure sign of the community’s health, and of how dedicated we are to keeping the web alive!
Are you an independent web writer, artist, producer, developer, content creator, etc? Join us by contributing an essay. Please send a short summary / abstract (2-4 sentences) describing your vision of the future independent web to independentsday.org.
The next time you visit an independent website, consider sending a note of thanks to its creators. A great deal of their time and heart go into building the independent web.
Independently yours,
Essay Contribution Guidelines
We're delighted that you want to join us by writing an essay about the future independent web. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
What to write about
Submissions should address The Future Independent Web: Visions of What's to Come.
What NOT to write about
- "My web site is great, let me tell you all about it."
- "HTML is easy to learn, let me show
you."
- "Here is a list of my favorite websites."
Step 1: Submit your essay to ID
Send your 500- to 1500-word essay, 50-word bio, and photo (85x85 pixels) to independentsday.org. You will receive an auto-reply confirming ID's receipt of your essay. Within one week of submitting your essay, ID will get in touch with you to confirm whether or not your essay will be published.
Note: Due to time constraints, ID is now requesting completed essays instead of short queries. Submitting an essay does not guarantee publication. If your essay is approved, it will be passed on to the copyeditor / proofreader and then sent back to you for review before publication. If your essay is not approved for publication, you will be contacted within seven days of first submitting your essay. You are welcomed to edit the essay and resubmit.
Style Guide
Suggested word count: 500-1500 words.
Create your essay using HTML.
Use the <p> and </p> tags respectively at the beginning and end of all paragraphs.
Use target="id" on all link tags.
Commonly used words and their spellings: website, Internet, web, independent web
Capitalize the beginning of each sentence.
Use the <h3> and </h3> tags respectively at the beginning and end of all subheadings.
Spellcheck your essay before emailing it to ID. Ask a friend to look it over for grammatical errors. (ID has a volunteer copyeditor/proofreader, but anything you can do to help make his work easier is greatly appreciated.)
Step Two: You're published; now what?
(This one seems obvious, but we thought we'd mention it anyway.)
Once ID has emailed you the location of your essay, help spread the word by posting a link on your site. Got an email newsletter for your site(s)? Post it there, too. The essay project relies on word-of-mouth promotion. There are no million-dollar media campaigns. Heck, there isn't even a press release.
And, if we didn't say it 12,000 times already: Thank you for taking time out of your busy world to contribute to this project!
Internet time. What is?
"The Future Independent Web: Visions of What's To Come" was scheduled on Internet time.
Internet Time is a revolution of time, eliminating time-zones and geographical borders. It's measured in .beats. Internet Time is 24 hours divided by 1000, based on BMT (Biel Mean Time) and CET (Centeral European Time) or GMT + 1.
How long is a .beat? In short, the virtual and real day is divided into 1000 ".beats". One beat is the equivalent of 1 minute 26.4 seconds. That means that 12 noon in the old time system is the equivalent of @500 .beats.
The Internet Time displayed on the ID site was JavaScripted by Peter Paul Koch. Click here to find out how he made it.
