[Air-L] History of 'Home' in internet browsers

[Marianne van den Boomen]

Hi Sue,

Intriquing question! I remember working with Mosaic and Cello back in 
1994, and they both already had a home button (an online check for 
screenshots affirms this). As far as I can see Tim Berners-Lees first 
browser in 1991 did not have a home button (see 
http://info.cern.ch/NextBrowser.html) neither did the 1993 version (see 
here http://info.cern.ch/NextBrowser1.html) Yet, the screenshot does 
show a page called My homepage (in the title bar called: Tim's home page).
May be the home of the home button is just Tim's home page? ;-)

kind regards

Marianne van den Boomen

On 6-5-12 11:46, Sue Thomas wrote:
> Hi
>
>
>
> I wonder if anyone can help?  I'm trying to track down when and why it
> was decided to use the term 'Home' and its accompanying icon in web
> browser design. Does anyone have any information on that?
>
>
>
> We have got so used to it that it's almost invisible in our
> consciousness, but Home is not default in every part of the world. In
> the Middle East for example, that function is called the Main Page, not
> the Home Page. I'm thinking that 'home' is probably an American concept
> in this context.
>
>
>
> I'd also like to collect more equivalencies from non-English speaking
> countries, so please do get in touch if your country's browser features
> something other than 'home'.
>
>
>
> I'd be most grateful for your thoughts on the above. Please reply
> backchannel to sue.thomas at dmu.ac.uk
>
>
>
>
>
> Many thanks
>
>
>
> Sue
>
>
>
>
>
> _________
>
> Sue Thomas
> Research Professor of New Media
>
> IOCT/Faculty of Art, Design and Humanities
> Clephan 1.01d, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH,
> UK  +44 (0)116 207 8266
>
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> Technobiophilia: Nature and Cyberspace
> e: sue.thomas at dmu.ac.uk<mailto:sue.thomas at dmu.ac.uk>
>
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>
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>
>
>
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-- 


met vriendelijke groeten,

Marianne van den Boomen




Media and Culture Studies | University Utrecht
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