Viaweb

Viaweb, later renamed Yahoo! Store, was an early e-commerce platform and software company founded in the summer of 1995 by Paul Graham, Robert Morris, and Trevor Blackwell. It provided a platform that allowed small businesses to easily create and manage online stores. Instead of requiring users to have technical expertise in web development or programming, Viaweb offered a graphical interface and simple tools to build and maintain their online presence.

The platform’s innovation stemmed from its Lisp-based architecture which allowed for rapid prototyping and iteration. This enabled Viaweb to quickly adapt to the evolving needs of its users and the rapidly changing internet landscape.

Yahoo! acquired Viaweb in 1998 for $49.6 million. Following the acquisition, the platform was rebranded as Yahoo! Store. Under Yahoo!'s ownership, the platform continued to provide e-commerce solutions to businesses, though the underlying technology eventually diverged significantly from its original Lisp-based architecture. The Yahoo! Store platform offered features such as customizable storefronts, order management tools, payment processing integration, and marketing support. While the brand "Yahoo! Store" has faded over time, its legacy represents one of the pioneers in democratizing e-commerce for small businesses.