posted on June 28, 2001 08:35:57 PM new
Way back (about 1974) I took a few Computer Science classes at the local Jr. college.
Along about 1980, I dropped $800 on a Vic-20, a modem, a data cassette, and a thermal printer, and logged on to the University Main Frame at a wopping 300 buad. Told myself, This is COOL.
Along about 1986, I spent $300 for a used IBM XT, and put a modem in it, and started checking out the local BBS's. I told my self This IS cool
By 1992 I had an 386, was SYSOPing a BBS, and Hosting Tradewars games.
This was the end of the "Free Online Era".
In those days, we (Hobby Sysops who run BBS's) had built Fido Net (world wide email and message bases, not instant, but free), distributed tons of "shareware" and helped create a generation of modem junkies.
I remember when the Internet came to town. I knew the guy that set up the first ISP in out town. I advertised his Service on my BBS (where all the [b]Modem Junkies[b] hung out), and he gave me free internet service for well over a year. Within 2 years, Our small town went from 46 free BBS's to 3 internet providers. People had quit calling BBS's.
The online craze was built by hackers and hobbists doing what they liked to do without trying to get a cent out of it (heck, it was fun, and what with Ham Links for fido net, it was a matter of cobbling together the equipment.) But it got to big, and just like eBay, the original dream is gone.
posted on June 28, 2001 09:37:06 PM new
As fun as the Round Table is, it pales in comparison to the Chat BBS I used to use. I had so much fun, parties, and misadventrues that there has been nothing like it since. While I hung out on all of the other free BBS's, I contributed some time each week to the Chat BBS and they gave me a free online account. While there are still free BBS's, as the amount of people shifting over (STILL!) from BBS to internet is ongoing, eventually there won't be any BBS's left. And the FREE spirit that made the Internet such a fun place to be is going to the wayside too - can't download sharweware without giving your e-mail addesss anymore hardly.
I miss the attitude as much as the fun. But, then again, we were just "computer nerds" ... right?
posted on June 28, 2001 10:18:43 PM new
My experience may not go back quite that far, but when I first signed on to the internet (with an isp that shall remain nameless ) I had a 2400 baud connection, a 386 processor and a a 360K (?) HD. I spent most of my time on IRC because there just wasn't much out there yet.
Yes it has changed a lot even since I've been on the net. When I started upgrading my computer and modem and the net was starting to grow, I spent alot of time browsing. I find I don't do that much anymore. I go to where I need/want to be and pretty much stay there.
posted on June 29, 2001 06:01:19 AM new
Wow, Microbes, I could have wrote your post, pretty much. I had a VIC 20, a Timex Sinclair (!) and a Commodore 64. I used the first AOL, called Q-link with my C64 at 300 baud.
posted on June 29, 2001 01:53:18 PM new
I knew there where modem junkies here
I can fire up an old 286, and tell you real quick if it belonged to a "modem junkie". Just look for Telex, PKZIP, ARC, and a directory called "download".
I miss the attitude as much as the fun. But, then again, we were just "computer nerds" ... right?
Yeah, we where. The average person back in "the days" thought what we where doing would go nowhere.
The attitude is gone. I use to spend hours doing an ANSI screen, just to have something colorful that would pop up quick at 1200 or 2400 buad. Now we take a picture.
posted on June 29, 2001 03:16:04 PM new
I remember the days of the BBS systems. I ran a BBS for several years for Macintosh users. It had 3 lines and made me a lot of good friends. Back in the BBS days you seemed to meet the people you were dealing with, we had pot luck dinners, bike rides, sleding parties, etc.. It made you very aware that the people on the other end of the text were real people.
Amazing the drop in prices isn't it? I remember paying almost $1000.00 for a high speed modem, a blistering 19.8 baud. In the days of the 1200 and 2400 baud modems 19.8 was really something.
posted on June 29, 2001 05:01:50 PM new
Yeah, we did meet most everyone on the BBSs sooner or later. Funniest one that happened to me was finding out that the leader of the Fem's From Hell (FFH, a group of gal's that gave EVERYONE a hard time on the local boards) lived 2 doors down from me.
Who Need's a stink'n Sig. File?
) I had a 2400 baud connection, a 386 processor and a a 360K (?) HD. 
I spent most of my time on IRC because there just wasn't much out there yet.
Hippy wannabe 
~^~