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> There was no Google

I have a broken memory of the time, because I swear I first came across Google as the better alternative to AltaVista in my last year at Uni in '96, but Wikipedia says Google arrived in '98, or at least the company was set up then, is it possible it was usable 2 years before they incorporated?

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Google was available at google.stanford.edu before they spun up the company.

I saw Sergei give a talk at my university in 96 or 97 and switched from Alta Vista.

> I swear I first came across Google as the better alternative to AltaVista in my last year at Uni in '96, but Wikipedia says Google arrived in '98, or at least the company was set up then, is it possible it was usable 2 years before they incorporated?

Sounds like a Mandela effect. :-)

More likely a Marijuana effect ;-)

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