You've Come a Long Way, Baby!!

From humble beginnings to Presidential debates, YouTube hits the big time!



What has happened in the past two years in information technology? Usually when something is originally perceived to be inaccurate or pedestrian, it can do one of two things: Continue to lack accuracy or fold altogether. The "it" I am referring to here are two separate sites that I feel have had a renaissance or a metamorphosis, of sorts, over the past couple of years. YouTube, the subject of this post, and WikiPedia, as well, perhaps to an even greater degree.

Originally formed in 2005 by three former Pay-Pal employees, YouTube began its future enterprise in a makeshift office/garage. In early 2006, YouTube was best known for videos of streetwise punks beating down strangers taken on mobile phones. In the run up to the 2008 Presidential elections, CNN aired a debate in which candidates fielded questions selected from a pool submitted by users of YouTube. Because of the use of technology to aggregate questions from a wide range of constituents, the forum has been referred to as "most democratic Presidential Debate ever." Still, how did this happen?

That can be answered in just one word: Google. It was announced in late 2006 that the company would be purchased by Google for $1.65 billion in stock. To date, this is Gogol's second-largest acquisition. Google is like the Oprah of the Internet. People like her. A huge range of Americans will follow her endorsement. The same can be said for Google. It's funny how one year and a new owner can change everything...Just ask Kevin Federline.

The above clip is clip #1 in a series of 20 clips. In order to access the entire series, please follow this link or point your browser to http://www.youtube.com/user/Hobobob10