What is your earliest Internet memory?

tapu · 01-12-2014, 01:16 PM

When I was an undergraduate at the University of California in the early 80s, I was in a Linguistics class where they gave us what was later called an email address. This worked within the UC computer system and we used it to submit homework, ask the professor questions, and have personal communications (about class-related content/work) with other students in the class.

I remember it seemed almost mystical. The idea of personal computers (Apple was just launching) being able to communicate in a web or network was mind-boggling.

Later on, we learned about its beginnings on "The Well," out of San Francisco, and I time it with the original MacIntosh (?) and the gray scale graphics. Some time later on, I was signing up on BBS's on a rudimentary pc at home, and eventually AOL, which used graphics that were "drawn" with repeated keyboard characters at the time--I kid you not!

I'd love to flesh out this memory with others who were primed at that time to embrace the new technology. I'd also love to hear anyone of any age's story about early internet experiences.

~the tapu

Liam · 01-12-2014, 01:42 PM

My earliest memory of the internet is an auditory one - the boing boing, crackle crackle, swish sound of my modem connecting me to a new world.

tapu · 01-12-2014, 02:05 PM

Oh my god, of course. I can hear it if I just think about it. Can you place it in time, or development? Were you on BBSs before and then on a service like AOL? Do you know anything about The Well?

Liam · 01-12-2014, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tapu

Oh my god, of course. I can hear it if I just think about it. Can you place it in time, or development? Were you on BBSs before and then on a service like AOL? Do you know anything about The Well?

It was 1994, AOL was my service provider. I don't know anything about The Well.

dark_crystal · 01-12-2014, 04:36 PM

Me and two heterosexual couples chatting with randoms over aol at the home of the only one of us who owned a computer

1994

SirLucian · 01-12-2014, 04:39 PM

found the best friends ever...............
Best Loves ever

But it has changed and this make Me very sad

Venus007 · 05-13-2016, 04:10 AM

I loved computers from the moment I met them.
I used to prowl around the University of Notre Dame when I was like 11 and I would see the students with their punch cards in boxes rushing about and looking terribly intelligent and important.

My first personal computer experience was at my friend Adam's house, his parents were wealthy and his dad had a computer, it was HUGE. We read that we could cause it to generate tones at particular frequencies and tried to control the toaster via sympathetic hZ tones. (We were like 13 or 14)

I took a BASIC programming class in the 9th or 10th grade (early to mid 1980s) and became besotted with computers and programming (I went on to take COBOL, FORTRAN, and Assembler)

A friend of mine had CompuServe (we paid to connect hourly and it could rack up FAST) and I remember being able to read the NY Times and the San Francisco Chronicle digitally. There were also odd conversations with fellow tech nerds (we didn't even call ourselves that at the time)

The CompuServe connection was done through an acoustic coupler that the phone receiver fit into

After that it was AOL, when I started there were an amazing number of people on, like 35,000 (heh)

After that it has been a continuous connection throughout my life.
I met several love and ahem other interests via the web
Some of my very best friends were met this way as well

01-12-2014, 01:16 PM	#1
tapu Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Understated butch. Preferred Pronoun?: I Relationship Status: Party of One Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maine Posts: 1,654 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,324 Thanked 3,114 Times in 1,103 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	What is your earliest Internet memory? When I was an undergraduate at the University of California in the early 80s, I was in a Linguistics class where they gave us what was later called an email address. This worked within the UC computer system and we used it to submit homework, ask the professor questions, and have personal communications (about class-related content/work) with other students in the class. I remember it seemed almost mystical. The idea of personal computers (Apple was just launching) being able to communicate in a web or network was mind-boggling. Later on, we learned about its beginnings on "The Well," out of San Francisco, and I time it with the original MacIntosh (?) and the gray scale graphics. Some time later on, I was signing up on BBS's on a rudimentary pc at home, and eventually AOL, which used graphics that were "drawn" with repeated keyboard characters at the time--I kid you not! I'd love to flesh out this memory with others who were primed at that time to embrace the new technology. I'd also love to hear anyone of any age's story about early internet experiences. ~the tapu

01-12-2014, 01:42 PM	#2
Liam Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Guy Preferred Pronoun?: He, Him, His Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: The Evergreen State Posts: 2,269 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 14,865 Thanked 6,875 Times in 1,861 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	My earliest memory of the internet is an auditory one - the boing boing, crackle crackle, swish sound of my modem connecting me to a new world. __________________ <3 Love is weird.

01-12-2014, 04:36 PM	#5
dark_crystal Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: jenny Preferred Pronoun?: babygirl Relationship Status: First Lady of the United SMH Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,445 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,532 Thanked 26,550 Times in 4,688 Posts Rep Power: 21474856	Me and two heterosexual couples chatting with randoms over aol at the home of the only one of us who owned a computer 1994 __________________

01-12-2014, 04:39 PM	#6
SirLucian Member How Do You Identify?: Revenant I Have Become Indestructible Preferred Pronoun?: Vampir Relationship Status: Ageless One / My Coven, Commanding an Embodied Authority Not Ruled By External Opinions Or Behaviors Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: What Happens at the lake Stays at the lake Posts: 271 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,132 Thanked 560 Times in 166 Posts Rep Power: 12820355	Best ever found the best friends ever............... Best Loves ever But it has changed and this make Me very sad __________________ The Animal I am Welcome to My Lair Leave the world at the door There is a certain Darkness here Rock Walls Dripping with anticipation Life is too long to Live alone Family is Everything

05-13-2016, 04:10 AM	#7
Venus007 Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: Serene Highness ;} Relationship Status: Dreamily contemplating some outrage against conventional morality Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Houston area Posts: 1,362 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,417 Thanked 4,748 Times in 1,139 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	I loved computers from the moment I met them. I used to prowl around the University of Notre Dame when I was like 11 and I would see the students with their punch cards in boxes rushing about and looking terribly intelligent and important. My first personal computer experience was at my friend Adam's house, his parents were wealthy and his dad had a computer, it was HUGE. We read that we could cause it to generate tones at particular frequencies and tried to control the toaster via sympathetic hZ tones. (We were like 13 or 14) I took a BASIC programming class in the 9th or 10th grade (early to mid 1980s) and became besotted with computers and programming (I went on to take COBOL, FORTRAN, and Assembler) A friend of mine had CompuServe (we paid to connect hourly and it could rack up FAST) and I remember being able to read the NY Times and the San Francisco Chronicle digitally. There were also odd conversations with fellow tech nerds (we didn't even call ourselves that at the time) The CompuServe connection was done through an acoustic coupler that the phone receiver fit into After that it was AOL, when I started there were an amazing number of people on, like 35,000 (heh) After that it has been a continuous connection throughout my life. I met several love and ahem other interests via the web Some of my very best friends were met this way as well __________________ . "I need no warrant for being, and no word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction. " Ayn Rand, Anthem "So you'll die happily for your sins. You'd rather die in guilt then live in love?" Timothy Leary

01-12-2014, 02:05 PM	#3
tapu Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Understated butch. Preferred Pronoun?: I Relationship Status: Party of One Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Maine Posts: 1,654 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,324 Thanked 3,114 Times in 1,103 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	Oh my god, of course. I can hear it if I just think about it. Can you place it in time, or development? Were you on BBSs before and then on a service like AOL? Do you know anything about The Well?