Life before internet?

[alkemyst]

Around 1983 I started messing around with X.25 and tymnet. Found out about QSD, Altgiers, Lutz, tchh, and never looked back.

During my off days I try to be out in the yard or doing something other than computer stuff as it's my professions. At night it's more interesting than TV.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: QueBert
Setting up Compuserve on a 8088 with a 300 baud modem would make you hate "on-line" It took a damn degree to get it working, and when it finally was, you had 300 baud goodness, which isn't good at all. It wasn't the internet, but it was sort of like a retarded older step brother. As much time as I spend on-line, I can go without it for weeks and not wig out. Before Compuserve and 300 baud modems I'm not sure what existed. But it was worse than that, I don't see how or why anyone used it and like it

Damn failboat started early...I didn't have a hard time installing any of them when they came out...packaged services were never my thing though...give my a line and a username/password, I can set up anything else I need.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Sea Moose
I first experienced the net in 98, i was about 13, i couldnt go an evening with out the web.

I was 12 when we got internet access back in the mid 90s and I clearly remember the time before that. I can go days without the internet, no problem, although I do occasionally wish I could check my e-mail, but it's not like it's tormenting to go without it. I think you are addicted to the internet.

 

[Ruptga]

Originally posted by: Insomniator
There was no life before internet.

Indeed, we all came into existance only five minutes ago

 

[Capt Caveman]

Library, writing letters, using the phone....

 

[FeuerFrei]

I'd do stuff outside like ride a bike, climb trees, shoot things, or read books. Didn't have a tv.
Once I got in college (1993) I didn't have time to do much besides homework.
Halfway through college I bought a computer (Jan 1996) and hooked it up to the internet later that summer. Then I amused myself by playing Descent or chatting on IRC.

 

[coloumb]

Originally posted by: aircooled
I was rocking the dial-up BBS's in 1983 w/ a 300 baud dumb modem on my commodore 64, shortly after that we got connected to Q-Link (who would eventually change their name to AOL), non of this was "the internet" but back in the day it was cool.

Pre-Internet:

- Dial up via 300/1200/2400 buad modems to local BBS's [most C-64 software] - most had 1 or 2 user simultaneous log in. You were limited to 30 minute sessions. If you could prove to the sysop that you were "trustworthy" - he'd give you access to the pirate files and extend your login sessions to upload/download files. Back then - you'd meet in person at someone's house to swap games [aye matey], party, etc.

- Qlink/Compuserve - Qlink was more chatty, Compuserve was more geeky/technical. Met a lot of good people on Qlink / Compuserve. Still on dial up - but at least you could chat with anyone in the world without having to dial a long distance #. Lost of good times on Qlink.

- Regional BBS's with multiple login capabilities [I was on Metropolis BBS in Lawrence Kansas] - I think this is when the 19.2k modems were considered high speed - excellent way to hook up and party with the locals and play some really good text based multiplayer games.

First memory of the "actual" internet - tunneled through Metropolis BBS on my parents home 486DX computer - holy crap - it was a pain in the ass to get anywhere and took about 5 minutes to load a simple text page - I was frikken excited but my parents were "eh..ok - we're going back to bed".

Life before the Internet - you couldn't be an asshat without consequence as it was more difficult to find a new group of kids to play with.

 

[Exterous]

I would actually use my phone book

While we are being nostalgic,

My wife freaks out if she has to make a long trip without a cell phone. 'What happens if I break down?' Like no one ever survived a broken down car before cell phones (We both started driving before they were affordable and Zack Morris was supper cool with his textbook sized phone)

I remember staying home sick and watching the same channel because I was too sick to get up and rotate the dial/adjust the bunny ears

 

[SilentZero]

I went outside a LOT more before the internet.

 

[sunzt]

SuperNES and Genesis

 

[oiprocs]

Great, another "will it take off" thread.

 

[Sea Moose]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
when does the internet have a "blackout"

not workingi dunno, when the internet is not working, like when you have an electrical black out

 

[Sea Moose]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Sea Moose

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: princess ida
My grandmother was born in 1899, and died in 1985. I once asked her what she thought the biggest change in life and society was, since she was born before airplanes, nuclear stuff, computers, medical discoveries, etc. She said it was air conditioning. Before air conditioning, people were outside a lot. After air conditioning, everybody stayed inside.

Internet is interesting, but it isn't air conditioning.

I love air conditioning so much.

Errr please dont talk about hvac... i stay up late to delay having to go to work tomorrow :S

I love you, HVAC man. Don't ever leave me.

What The fuck?