Life before the internet

[testing]

As a dinasour (also grew up on a farm)... well, not on the farm I grew up in the house part, lol... I remember computers first getting more popular when I was in highschool. I remember my dad brought home the first computer when I was maybe 17.

When the net came along, I spent more time on chat rooms, and was able to connect with people in Italy and that was very cool. But, it was limited, as I didn't have the capacity then to go on msn etc. and that was back about 15 years ago. Before the net, I researched more through books, and I had to make calls to get info. I like the net better, as I don't enjoy phone calls.

I suppose I remember working out on the land when I was in my teens and in early adult hood. I also remember spending my time long distance running or cycling just to pass the time. Also, I drew and painted mrore than I do now. It's been years since I picked up a paint brush. So yea, the net has made me lazier for sure.

Oh, I'd like to add that I used have to use a type writer to make my highschool essays and assignments, lol. Yea...

LOL! Ah, a fellow sauropod...

Yeah, that's pretty much what I did growing up. On dirt roads wearing cut off jeans and no shoes. (I didn't know you painted, too.)

I remember how mind-blowingly amazing it was to talk to people All The Way Around the WORLD!!!! Like, as far away as IOWA! Right there! Online! 24/7!

It was so amazing.

 

[Ecton]

You guys grew up on dirt roads too! See, the internet is like a superhighway for introverts on dirt roads!

Yes, I used to go long distance running through the countryside. As little kids, my friends and I spent all day in a stream re-directing the water flow and playing 'catch the salamanders'. Or letting the baby ducks chase us around. We ran around barefoot, despite the chickens And we had these big baseball games in our backyard with all of the neighbors. It was always "kids versus adults", and somehow the kids always managed to win by large margins.

And then there was the endless flashlight tag games at night. Catching fireflies and the quest to catch the 'blue fireflies' that always seemed to be far away.

Sometimes I'd pick up the big At&T phone and listen in on the conversations on our party line until the other people could here me breathing. Then I would hang up, giggling. Once, I heard another kid breathing and giggling, too!

My past time as a kid was riding around on my bike, chasing the hot air balloons. I'd follow them around waving and yelling. At the time, I was not aware that the guy who owned the balloons was doing 'romantic couple's rides' for a premium price. Poor guy had this kid who would randomly follow around the couples on their romantic flights, shouting at them the whole time. But I was so obsessed with flight and flying that I couldn't help myself. One day, he landed in the middle of the street and took me up 50 feet (with a rope tied to the ground) just to give me a look around. That was a great day I wasn't at home on the internet.

 

[Norton]

I'm 59. So, I remember using punch cards when I first learned FORTRAN. Learned many computer languages since, but my favorite has so far been Perl (or perhaps, forth, but that was long ago). Anyway, life at any time before the internet, and since, has been normal. People always define their own normality at any particular time. I first used the internet in the '80's, when a company I started was partially funded by a fortune 500 company that used the new-fangled invention, e-mail. I think I was on the world wide web in '94-'95 when the browser, mosaic, came out.

 

[Satya]

The first time I used the internet was fifth grade. I read a lot of books when I was a kid.

 

[Ecton]

Norton, I remember that. I was in an astronomy department, and this graduate student says to me "Hey check this out". He shows me this thing called "Mosaic" with this "web browser" and tells me that "this shit is going to take over the world." He then shows me a video of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (about 10 seconds long) through the browser.

And then shows me a bunch of web pages.

I remember thinking to myself "Another layer of abstraction, geez!"

So much for my intuition.

Apparently, the only reason I was ever born involves a punchcard.

 

[Roger]

It was very challenging.

Internet made it so easy. Yes, i accept many people got affected by internet. Too many people became so introverted. For my indian people, they are suffering from depression and many other psychological disorder. This is why, because they use internet much and avoid social gatherings.

 

[TinyBubbles]

It was very challenging.

Internet made it so easy. Yes, i accept many people got affected by internet. Too many people became so introverted. For my indian people, they are suffering from depression and many other psychological disorder. This is why, because they use internet much and avoid social gatherings.

Roger can you please elaborate? I've heard this kind of thing happening in western nations, but I didn't realize it was happening in places like India too.

 

[laurie]

I've been using the internet on and off since I was 8 - my family didn't get a computer for a while.
At first, it seemed to have been used pretty well, for research and the sheer novelty. But recently, it's become slightly more corrupt, with test papers' answers and course work for anyone to take. It's led to paranoia in education and now students can be accused of plagiarism even if they haven't done anything.
So, it's useful, but maybe a bit too useful for some individuals =.=