24 Hours in Cyberspace

"24 Hours in Cyberspace" (February 8 1996) was "the largest one-day online event" up to that date, headed by photographer Rick Smolan. [ [http://www.baychi.org/calendar/19970909/ "24 Hours in Cyberspace" (and more)] ] "The project brought together the world's top photographers, editors, programmers, and interactive designers to create a digital time capsule of online life." [ [http://www.baychi.org/calendar/19970909/ "24 Hours in Cyberspace" (and more)] ]

Overview

"24 Hours in Cyberspace" was an online project which took place on the then-active website, "cyber24.com" (and is still online at a mirror website maintained by Georgia Tech). [ [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/htm3/site.htm Mirror of Official site map] ] [ [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/htm3/toc.htm?new Mirror of Official Site] ] At the time, it was billed as the "largest collaborative Internet event ever", involving thousands of photographers from all over the world, including 150 of the world's top photojournalists. [ [http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-19050925.html "24 Hours in Cyberspace" exhibit grand opening to feature Enhanced CU-SeeMe - Vice President Al Gore expected to attend.] ] [ [http://library.wustl.edu/~listmgr/devel-l/Feb1996/0019.html "24 Hours in Cyberspace"] , February 6, 1996] Then Second Lady Tipper Gore was one of its photographers. [ [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/HTM2/4_311.htm Picture This:Tipper Gore, Photojournalist] ] In addition, then Vice President Al Gore contributed the introductory essay to the "Earthwatch" section of the website. [ [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/Homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/htm3/tocear.htm Earthwatch: 24 Hours in Cyberspace] ] In this essay, he discusses the impact of the Internet on the environment, education, and increased communication between people. [ [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/Homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/essay/gore.htm Vice President Al Gore's introduction to "Earthwatch: 24 Hours In Cyberspace] ]

The goal was not to show pictures of websites and computer monitors, but rather images of people whose lives were affected by the use of the growing Internet. Photographs were sent digitally to editors working real-time to choose the best pictures to put on the project's website. [ [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/htm3/toc.htm?new Mirror of Official Site] ] The website received more than 4 million hits in the 24 hours that the project was active. [http://www.byte.com/art/9605/sec3/art2.htm "Inside the Ultimate Web Site"] , BYTE, May 1996]

"24 Hours in Cyberspace" served as a cover story for "U.S. News and World Report". [ [http://www.247mediagroup.com/in_the_media/index.html In the Media] ]

The project reportedly cost as much as $5 million, and was funded with assistance from 50 companies, mostly in the form of loans of computer hardware and technology experts. Adobe Systems, Sun Microsystems and Kodak were listed as major supporters. [ [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/Homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/sponsors/indexold.htm Sponsors] ]

Book

A companion book was published in 1996. It contains two hundred photographs from the over 200,000 which were taken on that day. It also contains a CD with the full contents of the original website. [ [http://www.samizdat.com/news19.html#hours Review of Internet Books: 24 Hours in Cyberspace] ] [ [http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?S=R&bid=9277122614&cm_mmc=shopcompare-_-base-_-isbn-_-na,"24 Hours in Cyberspace", October 1996] ]

mithsonian

A photographic exhibition was unveiled at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History on 23 January 1997, featuring 70 photos from the project. [ [http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/02-97/02-22-97/b02li072.htm The human face of cyberspace, painted in random images] ] It was introduced by then Vice President Al Gore [ [http://itv.net/archive/cyber/cyber.htm 24 Hours in Cyberspace: Smithsonian] ] [ [http://icaa.eu/company/Cisco/article/14104.html Cisco Systems And HP Sponsor Smithsonian Exhibit] ] who was also given a copy of the book and CD. [ [http://www.baychi.org/calendar/19970909/ "24 Hours in Cyberspace" (and more)] ]

The exhibit is "now included in an historic collection which includes the original "Star-Spangled Banner" and the slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz"." [ [http://www.baychi.org/calendar/19970909/ "24 Hours in Cyberspace" (and more)] ]

References

*Smolan, Rick and Jennifer Erwitt. "24 Hours in Cyberspace:Photographed on one day by 150 of the world's leading photojournalists." Que Macmillan Publishing, 1996.

Notes

External links

* [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/htm3/site.htm Mirror of Official site map]
* [http://undertow.arch.gatech.edu/homepages/virtualopera/cyber24/SITE/htm3/toc.htm?new Mirror of Official Site]
* [http://www.americanheritage.com/events/articles/web/20070208-world-wide-web-internet-rick-smolan-24-hours-in-cyberspace.shtml Life in Cyberspace—Way Back When] -"American Heritage"
*" [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/navigator/nav0123.htm Casting a Web on the World] " - "Washington Post"
* [http://www.transmitmedia.com/svr/vault/smolan/smolan_transcript.html Interview about "24 Hours in Cyberspace"]