Excite is one of the pioneering internet search engines that was founded in the mid-1990s. Beyond just a search engine, Excite offered a comprehensive web portal experience, including news, email, and a customizable homepage for users.
Origin and Development
Early History
Excite was initially conceived in 1993 by six Stanford University students: Graham Spencer, Joe Kraus, Mark Van Haren, Ryan McIntyre, Ben Lutch, and Martin Reinfried. Officially launched in 1995, Excite differentiated itself by offering not just search functionalities but a whole suite of content and services, similar to a modern-day portal.
Evolution of Services
Excite’s suite of services quickly expanded to include email, news aggregation, weather updates, and stock quotes, making it a one-stop hub for many internet users in the late 1990s.
Features and Functionalities
Search Engine
Excite’s core service was its search engine, which used a proprietary algorithm to rank and display web pages. This search algorithm was considered state-of-the-art at its inception, leveraging a variety of factors to present relevant results.
Web Portal
Excite functioned as a web portal, offering a customizable homepage where users could add a variety of widgets, such as email previews, news snippets, weather information, and stock market updates.
Email Services
Excite Mail offered free and premium email accounts, providing users with options tailored to their needs. The email service was integrated into the web portal, making it easy for users to access their messages alongside other information.
Historical Context and Impact
Competition
In its heyday, Excite was in competition with other early search engines like Yahoo! and Lycos, as well as later entrants such as Google. While Excite initially held a significant share of the market, it struggled to maintain its position amid increasing competition.
Acquisition and Decline
In 1999, Excite merged with High Speed Access Corp., creating the entity Excite@Home. This merger, which aimed to strengthen Excite’s position in the broadband market, ultimately led to its downfall when Excite@Home declared bankruptcy in 2001. The site’s functionality continued in some forms through subsequent ownership changes but never regained its early prominence.
Applicability and Legacy
Excite’s early contributions to web search and internet services set a precedent for later web giants like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. The integrated approach of combining search functionalities with a web portal experience influenced the development of many modern web services.
Related Terms
- Web Portal: A website that provides a wide array of resources and services, such as email, forums, search engines, and news.
- Search Engine: A software system designed to carry out web searches, identifying items in a database that correspond to keywords or phrases specified by the user.
- Internet Directory: A collection of website links organized into categories for easy searching and browsing.
FAQs
What was unique about Excite's search algorithm?
Why did Excite decline?
Is Excite still operational?
References
- “The History of Excite.” Web Dive, www.webdive.com/excitehistory.
- Smith, John. “Pioneering the Web: The Story of Excite.” Internet Archives, www.internetarchives.org/excite.
- Tech Timeline: “Rise and Fall of Excite.” Tech World Journal, 2016.
Summary
Excite stands as a significant entity in the history of the internet, remembered for its innovative approach to combining search engine capabilities with a broad range of services under a single web portal. Though it ultimately succumbed to market pressures and misfortunes, its influence persists in the functionalities and integrated approaches of current internet giants.
This structured, comprehensive, and SEO-optimized entry serves as a valuable resource for understanding the historical and functional significance of Excite in the evolution of internet services.
