Page Not Found: A Brief History of the 404 Error

The notorious 404 error, “Not Found,” is often, not totally erroneously, referred to as “the last page of the internet.” It’s an obligatory heads-up with an outsize reputation; it is a meme and a punch line. Bad puns abound. The error has been printed in comics and on T-shirts, an accessible and relatable facet of what was once relegated to nerd humor and is now a fact of digital life. That the 404 should have crossover appeal seems fitting.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices