In the late 1990s, a few years after I ventured into the software products business, my friends and I came up with an idea for a website called 640kb.com. This was a satirical nod to the original IBM PC's memory limitation and a playful attempt to embrace the emerging web culture. Although the site never saw the light of day, looking back, it’s both nostalgic and somewhat prophetic about the future of the web, social media, and short-form videos. I am sharing this story as a nostalgic look back at our early web ideas.
Even back in 1999, our idea for 640kb.com was remarkably well-defined. The crow, or raven, was to be the emblematic symbol, donning various outfits for different sections. For instance, the raven would team up with a penguin for the Linux section, carry a floppy disk in its mouth for editor's picks, and wield a brush for the graphics section.
We had an elaborate nickname system to inject humor and personality into the site. The editor’s nickname was "Kaw," while the critic was dubbed "Waydan," meaning the hunter of the raven. The graphics section, "Mayil," had its articles referred to as "Thogai." There was also "Kili" for the audio section and "Kuruvi" for the Technet/MSDN section. If you are wondering, Mayil, Thogai, and Kili are Tamil language words meaning Peacock, Plumes, and Parrots respectively.
- The raven wears different dresses: The raven dons different outfits to symbolize various sections of the site.
- Raven and Penguin: The raven puts a hand on the shoulder of a penguin for the Linux section.
- Raven in a Seal: The raven is inside a seal for the editor's choice and reviews.
- Raven with a Floppy: The raven holds a floppy in its mouth for the editor's pick or pick of the day downloads.
- Raven with a Brush: The raven holds a brush in its hand for the graphics section.
In the editorial section, when Kaw explains the reasons for naming the site "Kaka," Waydan humorously critiques all the negative aspects of the crow/raven, poking fun at ourselves. "Kaka" in Tamil means Crow.
Our site had creatively named sections and nicknames to add personality and humor:
- A Yahoo-like directory for Windows/Internet developers.
- A classified, organized, easy search of items from Microsoft/Technet/MSDN sites, such as information for Visual Basic programmers.
- The site’s logo name was "Kaka," and the editor’s nickname was "Kaw."
- Mayil: The graphics section.
- Ovean (OVE): Nickname for the graphics editor.
- Kuruvi: The Technet/MSDN section.
- Kili: The audio section.
Though 640kb.com never materialized, this concept reflects the spirit of innovation and creativity we had at the time. It’s fascinating to see how elements of this vision have manifested in the modern web, social media, and content platforms. Sharing this now serves as a piece of history, capturing the early aspirations and humorous takes on web culture from a quarter-century ago.
