As Americans across the nation gathered in the wake of last Tuesday’s tragedy, the Internet’s flow of disconnected information suddenly converged, focusing on a single message of sympathy and grief.

In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the Internet played a crucial role in disseminating news and facts.

New Yorkers, desperately seeking to get in touch with their loved ones, flocked to websites posting lists of survivors.

Harvard alumni working in New York City checked in at www.jasonwhitlow.com and myharvardalumni.edu/sept11 to let others in the Harvard community know they were alive.

And colleges and universities across the nation used their websites as a medium to inform students about counseling opportunities and ways for their students to help.

The real change came after the first horrific hours, when almost every American website was altered in deference to the tragedy.

One sentiment dominated the websites of almost every business and organization in the country: “We’re sorry.”

More than a week after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, messages of condolence continue to occupy a very prominent place on the homepages of corporate giants such as Microsoft, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.