a view source web
March 26, 2024
In the end, view source is a reminder that software is a human activity with all its nuance, and mundanity, laid bare waiting to be viewed in our browsers. View source is a slow space, a gesture to see the presence of a person, and a space to come back to.
Source: a view source web
There’s a generation (or two) of web developers for whom View Source, the ability to easily look at the code of a web page and learn how it achieved some outcome was a core part of learning to develop for the Web.
Some people took umbrage at this–tried to obfuscate their code, not wanting to have their secrets stolen.
This wonderful (and technically clever) essay captures some thoughts about the history and implications of view source. A radical idea that hints at the radical nature of the Web, 35 years ago at its inception and now.
