Table of Contents
Using the Internet with classic web browsers
This is a list of websites that work with classic web browsers. Classic is open-ended, but generally mean browsers that were released in the first 5-10 years of World Wide Web's existence.
Examples of classic web browsers:
- Internet Explorer 3.0
- Netscape Navigator 2.0
- NCSA Mosaic
This list is being continually updated. Classic web sites are becoming rare, so this is our nod to the maintainers of web sites that are compatible across all devices new and old. We have also made an easily-accessible gateway website to access archived copies of a selection of great websites that you can browse with your retro machine.
If you would like to see archived web pages as they appeared on a certain year, you can use something like Archive.org. However Archive.org isn't directly compatible with old web browsers, so you can use the gateway site to easily open up old web sites with retro hardware. Open up http://wayback.steptail.com with any legacy web browser!
The web sites listed here generally have no CSS stylesheets, and fall within HTML 4.01 or earlier specifications. The pages may use frames, but must have a landing page to choose no frames option. The images the pages contain must be either GIF of JPEG. TLS and/or SSL encryption (https) must be optional.
If you would like to add your classic website to be advertised here for free, shoot me a mail! We love classic websites!
The Classic Website List
| Address | Compatibility | Description |
|---|---|---|
| http://theoldnet.com/ | 100 % | A web site proxy that allows retro computers to surf archive.org. Highly recommended.  |
| http://wiby.me/ | 100 % | Search engine for classic web browsers! Highly recommended. |
| http://www.google.com/ | 50 % | Google Search. If you're on Netscape, remember to turn Javascript off or you'll encounter quite a bit of error messages  |
| http://www.dcee.net/ | 100 % | Website for Dark Corner BBS. Includes various hard-to-find downloads from the Dark Corner BBS. |
| http://ftp.funet.fi/ | 100 % | Finnish University Network File Archive operating since 1991. 1) |
| http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/msdos/games/ | 100 % | FUNET msdos games section downloads. |
| http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/Linux/historical/kernel/ | 100 % | Linux 0.01 files. Release notes |
| http://info.cern.ch/ | 100 % | Very first website created by Tim Berners-Lee 2) |
| http://files.mpoli.fi/ | 100 % | Metropoli BBS File section |
| http://www.gamers.org/ | 100 % | Doomgate - FPS Game archive! |
| http://www.gamers.org/pub/archives/uwp-uml/ | 100 % | Classic PC Games Archive |
| http://www.lctn.com/ | 100 % | CSS Internet's Lauderdale County Home Page |
Mirrors
| www.winsite.com | Reconstructed Winsite homepage 1996-1997 |
Archive.org Gateway
To access pages stored at Archive.org using an old web browser, visit http://wayback.steptail.com with any legacy web browser!
Contributions
If you know of websites that will work with a pre-2000 web browser, feel free to send your suggestion through the contact me -link on the main page. Thanks!