The research presented in this dissertation studies and describes how technical standards, protocols, and application programming interfaces (APIs) shape the aesthetic, functional, and affective nature of our most dominant mode of online communication, the World Wide Web (WWW). I examine the politically charged and contentious battle over browser market share and how this drives the seemingly "open" development of technical standards and the implementation of new features. I present a new and alternative browser prototype and communication framework called the Underweb that provides partial solutions to the problem space of the WWW. Parallel to the non-linear development dynamic of the amorphous electronic infrastructure of the WWW, the Underweb provides a more user-elegant set of technologies that gives developers and users the ability to not only read, but also to write, edit and publish in this system without third-party involvement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]