As I sit here writing this blog post in a modern code editor with real-time syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and collaborative features, my mind wanders back to 1997—a year that marked not only the beginning of my journey with HTML but also a fascinating chapter of my life in the U.S. Air Force.

Under a Pineapple Field in Hawaii

In 1997, I was stationed in Hawaii, working as a Signals Intelligence Analyst for the Air Force. My days were spent analyzing signals and reporting intelligence from a facility located beneath a pineapple field—a surreal setting that felt like something out of a spy novel. The work was intense and demanding, requiring deep focus and attention to detail. But when my shift ended and I returned to the dormitory, I found myself drawn to a different kind of puzzle: the emerging world of the internet and the world wide web.

Discovery in the Dorm

During my free time, I began experimenting with HTML. The internet was still relatively new to most people, and the idea that I could create my own corner of this digital frontier was exhilarating. Armed with nothing more than a text editor and a dial-up connection, I started teaching myself the basics: <html>, <head>, <body>, <table> (oh, so many tables for layout!), and the ever-temperamental <font> tag.

My first real project? A website to run a fantasy football league. In an era before ESPN Fantasy Sports or Yahoo! dominated the scene, managing a fantasy football league required creativity and technical know-how. I wanted a central place where league members could check scores, view rosters, and engage in some friendly trash talk. So I built it myself.

Kroney3268 on Aloha.net

I hosted my creation on aloha.net under the username “Kroney3268”—a digital address that felt like home in more ways than one. The site was nothing fancy by today’s standards: static HTML pages, maybe a GIF or two (likely animated, because that was the style at the time), and basic forms for interaction. But to me and my league members, it was revolutionary. We had our own little slice of the internet.

Looking back, the technical limitations were significant:

  • No CSS for styling (everything was done with HTML attributes)
  • Limited JavaScript capabilities
  • No responsive design (mobile web was years away)
  • Image optimization meant choosing between quality and load time on 56k modems
  • Browser compatibility was a nightmare (Netscape Navigator vs. Internet Explorer wars)

The Evolution of HTML

Fast forward to today, and the contrast is staggering. HTML has evolved from HTML 3.2 (what I was likely using in 1997) through HTML 4, XHTML, and now HTML5—each iteration bringing more power, flexibility, and semantic meaning to web development.

What’s Changed?

Semantic Elements: We now have elements like <header>, <nav>, <article>, <section>, and <footer> that give meaning to our page structure, improving accessibility and SEO.

Multimedia Support: Remember when embedding video required Flash or other plugins? HTML5’s <video> and <audio> tags made multimedia a native part of the web.

Graphics and Animation: The <canvas> element and SVG support have opened doors to rich graphics and animations without plugins.

Forms and Input: Modern HTML forms are incredibly sophisticated, with built-in validation, new input types (date, email, number, range), and better accessibility features.

APIs and Interactivity: While not strictly HTML, the ecosystem around modern web development—with JavaScript frameworks, WebSockets, Service Workers, and Progressive Web Apps—has transformed what’s possible.

Responsive Design: CSS Grid, Flexbox, and media queries mean websites adapt seamlessly to any screen size, from smartphones to ultra-wide monitors.

From Fantasy Football to the Modern Web

That fantasy football website I built in my dormatory while working under a pineapple field in Hawaii was more than just a hobby project. It was my entry point into a career that would span technology, education, and digital equity work. The problem-solving skills I developed while debugging table layouts and wrestling with nested frames laid the foundation for more complex challenges I’d tackle later.

Today, I work at the intersection of information and technology and energy, advocating for digital opportunities and using data science to address real-world problems. But I never forget where it started: in a dormitory room with a dial-up modem, teaching myself HTML one tag at a time.

Reflecting on Progress

The journey from HTML 3.2 to HTML5 mirrors the broader evolution of the internet itself—from a simple document-sharing system to a platform for global communication, commerce, entertainment, and social connection. What took hours to code in 1997 can now be generated in seconds. What required multiple tools and plugins is now native to the browser.

Yet, despite all these advances, the core principles remain the same: structure your content logically, make it accessible, and remember that at the other end of every website is a human being seeking information, connection, or entertainment.

Looking Forward

As we look to the future of web development—with technologies like WebAssembly, Web Components, and emerging standards continuing to push boundaries—I’m reminded that innovation builds upon innovation. The simple HTML I learned in 1997 is still the foundation of every website on the internet today.

To anyone just starting their journey with web technologies: embrace curiosity, experiment fearlessly, and remember that every expert was once a beginner. Who knows? Maybe your hobby project today will be the foundation of your career tomorrow.

HTML has indeed come a long way since 1997, and I’m grateful to have been part of that journey—from a basement under a pineapple field to wherever this digital adventure takes us next.

Have you been building websites since the early days? What was your first web project? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below.