Top 20 websites

[Hambil]

The rules: The site must be an end unto itself. If it is a bridge to something else it does not qualify (those will be covered in the Top Ten Web Apps thread). E.g. Amazon is a bridge to selling stuff, iTunes is a bridge to music downloads, eBay is a bridge to selling stuff - they don't qualify for this list.

Format shown in first post - please follow it or you'll get boils and die.

 

[Hambil]

1.

Google.

Google changed the face of the internet. First, by making content accessible. Second, by making an ad driven market a reality. Then it went beyond that to create many, many useful tools like gmail and such.

The domain google.com was registered on 15 September 1997.

 

[CaptainWacky]

2.

Amazon.

Started off selling books in 1995. Now sells a whole lot of stuff as well as books. Helps make it possible for people who never leave the house to buy cool stuff.