For what seems like a lifetime on the Internet, free web hosting provider GeoCities is closing its doors after a long 14-year affair with providing individuals with their own corner of cyberspace. From guest books to flashy scrolling text, GeoCities was one of the most popular hosting providers in its heyday.

A decade after its acquisition by Yahoo!, GeoCities is no more — shut down yesterday to surprise and emotions. I have a lot of fond memories of GeoCities and the community, taking my hand at HTML and graphic design back when  most of the Internet ran Windows 95, used slow dial-up modems and online shopping made you “cool.”

A message on the GeoCities website urges people to try Yahoo’s new pay-for web hosting service. In a written statement, a spokeswoman said that Yahoo decided “after careful consideration” to shut down the site.

“We have enjoyed hosting Web sites created by Yahoo! users all over the world, and we’re proud of the community that has been built,” the statement said. “Yahoo! discontinued GeoCities on October 26, 2009, as part of our ongoing effort to prioritize our portfolio of products and services in order to deliver the best products to consumers.”