How long have you been 'connected'?

Mark · 22-01-2008, 12:40

While clearing out a pile of professional computing mags from the early-mid 90s (Dr. Dobbs Journal mostly), I found a 'Compuserve Guide to Getting Online' dated circa February 1996. I'm not sure if I actually 'got online' then or before that, but its still 12 years ago. I've been 'connected' in some way or other almost without interruption since then. Scary.

So, when did you start your online presence, be it Compuserve/AOL, some dial-in BBS or MMORPG system (remember those?), or even the internet? Can you remember what it was that got you hooked?

Haly · 22-01-2008, 12:45

It was late 97-98 iirc. Although that was at Swansea Uni while my Dad was working. Mainly looked at x-files sites and poked about with hotmail and mailing lists.
Didn't have the internet at home until a couple of years after that.

kaiowas · 22-01-2008, 12:52

When I started uni in Sept 95 internet was available in all the computer labs and I spent far too long using it. Didn't have my own PC until after I was working sometime in 99 though.

Davey_Pitch · 22-01-2008, 12:55

When I started Uni in Sept 97. Had my own computer at home but it wasn't online at that point. Can't really imagine what it would be like without an internet connection any more. Scary thought!

petemc · 22-01-2008, 12:59

Since about 95 too when they got it at school. We were allowed a few minutes to surf each day due to costs. I remember the coolness of emailing a guy in Pennsylvania to discuss my homework. The herding instinct of penguins

Things were so new back then. We had to make our own under-construction gifs because we couldn't find any. We built the schools website for fun. Grey was the default background colour.

Mark · 22-01-2008, 13:05

Grey was the only background colour, at least for a while. With black text and blue underlined hyperlinks. You were lucky if you found one .gif on a page. Pages with several were a real revelation (until you realised just how long they took to load).

petemc · 22-01-2008, 13:17

Hehe

Times New Roman all over the shop.

Feek · 22-01-2008, 13:25

100576,347 was my Compuserve ID but I was online before then via Micronet 800 which was part of the Prestel system. I joined Micronet in around 1984.

*90#

Tak · 22-01-2008, 13:32

I got my first PC in 1999 but I never used the internet until I moved in with Mic in 2001-2002.
My first online ID was kp_nuts2000 which is still my yahoo email account. I then joined The Castle of Fun which is a online roleplaying forum (think D&D meets Loony Toons) and used the name Takhisis which has been my primary name ever since

Mark · 22-01-2008, 13:33

@Feek - Yup, I'd completely forgotten about Prestel and its *90# madness until someone else reminded me. Didn't use it much but the reminder brought back the memories of watching the text slowly appear on the screen as each page (1K bytes or less) downloaded.

22-01-2008, 12:40	#1
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	How long have you been 'connected'? While clearing out a pile of professional computing mags from the early-mid 90s (Dr. Dobbs Journal mostly), I found a 'Compuserve Guide to Getting Online' dated circa February 1996. I'm not sure if I actually 'got online' then or before that, but its still 12 years ago. I've been 'connected' in some way or other almost without interruption since then. Scary. So, when did you start your online presence, be it Compuserve/AOL, some dial-in BBS or MMORPG system (remember those?), or even the internet? Can you remember what it was that got you hooked?

22-01-2008, 12:45	#2
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	It was late 97-98 iirc. Although that was at Swansea Uni while my Dad was working. Mainly looked at x-files sites and poked about with hotmail and mailing lists. Didn't have the internet at home until a couple of years after that. __________________ Halycopter

22-01-2008, 12:52	#3
kaiowas The Stig Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fightertown USA Posts: 1,458	When I started uni in Sept 95 internet was available in all the computer labs and I spent far too long using it. Didn't have my own PC until after I was working sometime in 99 though. __________________ Anal Fish Porn Last edited by kaiowas; 22-01-2008 at 13:03.

22-01-2008, 12:55	#4
Davey_Pitch I iz speshul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Liverpool Posts: 6,296	When I started Uni in Sept 97. Had my own computer at home but it wasn't online at that point. Can't really imagine what it would be like without an internet connection any more. Scary thought! __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

22-01-2008, 12:59	#5
petemc Moonshine Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Nr Liverpewl Posts: 4,371	Since about 95 too when they got it at school. We were allowed a few minutes to surf each day due to costs. I remember the coolness of emailing a guy in Pennsylvania to discuss my homework. The herding instinct of penguins Things were so new back then. We had to make our own under-construction gifs because we couldn't find any. We built the schools website for fun. Grey was the default background colour. __________________ Thats no hamster, its a space station!

22-01-2008, 13:05	#6
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Grey was the only background colour, at least for a while. With black text and blue underlined hyperlinks. You were lucky if you found one .gif on a page. Pages with several were a real revelation (until you realised just how long they took to load).

22-01-2008, 13:17	#7
petemc Moonshine Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Nr Liverpewl Posts: 4,371	Hehe Times New Roman all over the shop. __________________ Thats no hamster, its a space station!

22-01-2008, 13:25	#8
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	100576,347 was my Compuserve ID but I was online before then via Micronet 800 which was part of the Prestel system. I joined Micronet in around 1984. *90# __________________

22-01-2008, 13:32	#9
Tak L'Oréal Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portsmouth Posts: 9,977	I got my first PC in 1999 but I never used the internet until I moved in with Mic in 2001-2002. My first online ID was kp_nuts2000 which is still my yahoo email account. I then joined The Castle of Fun which is a online roleplaying forum (think D&D meets Loony Toons) and used the name Takhisis which has been my primary name ever since __________________ The look on your face when a toddler rips out your heart and shows it to you? Priceless.... For everything else, there's FWOOSH!

22-01-2008, 13:33	#10
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	@Feek - Yup, I'd completely forgotten about Prestel and its 90# madness until someone else reminded me. Didn't use it much but the reminder brought back the memories of watching the text slowly appear on the screen as each page (1K bytes or less) downloaded. Last edited by Mark; 22-01-2008 at 14:36.*