20 Years Ago

[mongers]

Going through a load of business files/records before I throw them, I found myself wondering just how different aspects of life then would seem to children today.

For instance you could get access to the internet, not the web, if you sign up to something called compuserve and I think you were charged by the minute. There was also a similar UK services I appeared to have signed up to, called infotrade, I think this was like and email/isp which possibly included web access, not sure, but appears to be pay by the minute.

Software still often game on floppy disks, it appears you could sell the software on once you stop

[Eddie Teach]

Software still often game on floppy disks, it appears you could sell the software on once you stop

mid-sentence.

[mongers]

Software still often game on floppy disks, it appears you could sell the software on once you stop

mid-sentence.

That's what comes from typing something very similar to Vogon poetry. 

[garbon]

I was very young then and a year was forever and a day.

[Josephus]

I don't think I really discovered the internet yet. I do remember a "guy I knew" who used to download games with his telephone from something he called "message board", but I had no real idea what he was doing, other than he was amassing really expensive phone bills.

[mongers]

Yeah, I was going to say, before my keyboard committed suicide, that you used to buy shareware from adverts in magazines, entailing sending off a check/cheque and they'd then send you the software/demos on floppy disks.

[Josephus]

Yeah, I was going to say, before my keyboard committed suicide, that you used to buy shareware from adverts in magazines, entailing sending off a check/cheque and they'd then send you the software/demos on floppy disks.

A bit before 1994, say 1990, I remember buying text-based computer games that way. You know the ones
"You look inside the mailbox. You see a letter"
"Take letter"
"you take the letter"
"Open letter"
C:// error

Anyways you actually didn't have to pay, but there was always a proviso that said "If you like this game send us $5 for us to continue developing such great games."

[mongers]

Cell phones existed, I'd used them at work nearly 10 years earlier than the mid-90s, but still most people didn't have them, maybe one in 10, perhaps.

I know only one of my friends had one at the time and it was some shitty little black orange thing that charged about 10c ever 5 seconds.

[mongers]

Yeah, I was going to say, before my keyboard committed suicide, that you used to buy shareware from adverts in magazines, entailing sending off a check/cheque and they'd then send you the software/demos on floppy disks.

A bit before 1994, say 1990, I remember buying text-based computer games that way. You know the ones
"You look inside the mailbox. You see a letter"
"Take letter"
"you take the letter"
"Open letter"
C:// error

Anyways you actually didn't have to pay, but there was always a proviso that said "If you like this game send us $5 for us to continue developing such great games."

Weird times, as compared to the days of 'Steam'.

[Josephus]

In the late 90s we called them "Car phones"...cause most people used them in their cars...which is kind of ironic to think about it.

[Jacob]

20 years ago... I think I used the internet at the library to get into arguments on alt.skinheads on usenet.

[crazy canuck]

I don't think I really discovered the internet yet. I do remember a "guy I knew" who used to download games with his telephone from something he called "message board", but I had no real idea what he was doing, other than he was amassing really expensive phone bills.

I played trade wars on a message board - but that was longer than 20 years ago.  More like 30 years ago.  I had a 300 baud modem.  The download speed was so slow I could read the text as it loaded onto the screen.  The message board only had two lines in and so a lot of time was spent dialing in to try to get an open line to connect to the board.  Then I found a message board called Mindlink.  It was amazing.  It had something like 30 lines in and so you hardly ever experienced a busy signal.  It also gave access to something called the internet.  But that cost extra and by the minute.  It also required knowledge of specific code commands so I didnt it.

Mindlink sold its operation a few months before Netscape became widely available.  Now that was some good timing for the vendor.  Not so good for the guys who bought it.

[CountDeMoney]

All things considered, I'd rather be in 1994 right now.

[frunk]

20 years ago... I think I used the internet at the library to get into arguments on alt.skinheads on usenet.

Ahh, Usenet.  So much time wasted there better spent playing computer games.  My brother actually met Kibo.

[Caliga]

Yeah, I was going to say, before my keyboard committed suicide, that you used to buy shareware from adverts in magazines, entailing sending off a check/cheque and they'd then send you the software/demos on floppy disks.

Commander Keen.