10 years ago, we all would not have had the ability to know each other, just 10 years

[Dan Murphy]

It was in early 1993 when Marc Andreesen, then 22 years old (now only 32) created Mosaic, the first easily used browser for the Internet. Mosaic evolved into Netscape.

Prior to that, the Internet was navigated by typing text code and used primarily by the government, universities and 'geeks'. Mosaic took that code and allowed images to be displayed, similar to Windows, over hypelinks.

I think it is amazing that in ten short years the world has gone from essentially no easily usable Internet to one of daily use for so many people of the world, and allows people like us to have come to know each other as family. Ten years, amazing.

A few links of interest......

http://www.ibiblio.org/pioneers/andreesen.html

http://web.umr.edu/~buechler/Old_Work/FS99/arttec00.htm

http://www.thocp.net/biographies/andreesen_marc.htm

http://www.tbwt.com/interaction/1pandree/1pandree.htm

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[nydizfan]

its truly amazing .. thanks dan for those links.....dave

 

[Buckalew]

It is amazing. It is also amazing that I own a computer and surf the net. No comment, Dan. I've come a long way, baby! LOL

 

[DonnaS]

But, but, but I thought Al Gore....

 

[UncleKyle]

wow that is amazing! It was about a year ago when I saw an article on yahoo that said the number of internet pages doubles every 4 weeks. I doubt it still does it that fast but too me that is amazing.

 

[#1 Disney Fan]

Really is amazing when you stop and think about it. It is such a part of our everyday lives now.

 

[catsrule]

yay!

 

[Verandah Man]

Up until four years ago, I never thought I would have a computer in the house. We purchased one for our DD to help her with her school work in December 1998(Christmas gift). Last year we bought a new computer with Window XP Home, put the old computer with Windows 98 in our DD's room, I still use that one from time to time, I have a lot of my t-shirt designs on that computer. Then, two months ago, I bought myself a laptop, that I can take with me when I work on my family's genealogy at the local Historical Society. Funny thing is, I haven't been to the Historical Society since I purchased the laptop. Between the bad winter weather we've had, my DW's recent surgery, surfing the DISboards, and getting ready for our cruise, I haven't had time to get there! I have started using the laptop for other things though, it's nice to have, even though it's an older model that I bought off of e-bay.

Three computers in four years, I think I'm done purchasing them now, I don't know how we lived without them for so long, they are so much a part of my everyday life!!!

 

[WDWLVR]

It certainly has really opened up who we talk to. 14-15 years ago it was local BBS's for me. DH and I would post to the same one as we were getting to know each other.

Then came Prodigy for me and it had communities much like we have here on the DIS.

Then the internet opened up and we had the unmoderated newsgroups like RADP.

Then the DIS!!!! Nice to see that technology keeps moving but that we still find time to get together with people who have similiar interests.

 

[Serena]

It sure has changed my life, for the better.

 

[helenabear]

Wow!!! It sure has changed. I also did those text only based BBs way back a long time ago. I must say I am very thankful to Marc Andreesen for helping to create what we have today

 

[cgcw]

Sometimes, my DH will tease me and remind me of when he first wanted to hook up to the internet. I was adament against it -- just felt we didn't need it and/or would we use it. Now, it's always on. Once we went to a cable hookup it became even more addicting. I try to tell DS8 about the things we didn't have as kids -- I can't even imagine what the future holds for them.

 

[Cindy B]

Yes, in the late 80's, I used a 2400 baud acoustical modem to access very very primitive BBs's!

Early 90',s Like 90/91... DH actually owned/managed a BbS, I think it ran on a 2 MB... yes, megabyte drive.

I remember amazon, early amazon. I remember when I heard about ebay, thinking... well, thats' going to be a flop! (I don't have a business head, I guess!)


My DH was one of the geeks in the infancy of internet.

But seriously, I think truly that its been only about 5-7 years for the most of us. I started hearing about the internet when my son was born, 8 years ago.

 

[MarkRG]

Geek here!

Wow it's been that long.

I remember working to intergrate email and ftp into the dialup bbs software I was running back then. Unix would drive me nuts! It's just incredible how fast it's grown into what it is. And not without its downturns. Never had any clue back then what a commercial thing it would turn into with some the vultures out there.

 

[ead79]

I remember playing with very simple computer games in middle school ('92-'94) and thinking how neat and new computers themselves were. I owned my first one in 1994, but didn't have the internet until I went to college in 1998. Then I got hooked on the Internet and shortly thereafter found the DIS. And what a great find it was!

 

[caitycaity]

thanks for the links, dan.

i've been "online" for more than 10 years. in middle school and high school, some of my friends and i ran a BBS.

and cindy, i still have an old acoustic modem (not in use). it's a collectible!

 

[Sonya]

Wow, it seems like longer. I had my 1st computer, a Tandy, in 1984. I found it usless. In 1994 DH bought our 1st one that actually did something, while we both were in college. Our university had free dial-up and I remember him saying he had gone to a website in France. I freaked and told him surely we would have to pay long distance so he better get off! Now I can go anywhere in the world (I love webcams) any time I want as well as talk to people from all over. It's so great!

 

[iluvdisney]

Wow! I know I didn't play on a computer game, much less use the internet til the mid 90s.
Both of my son's had the want for knowledge and when the internet came along to be available in the home, they were all over it. And still are!
Me, of course, I wanted nothing to do with it and told them so. They luv to remind me how I used to say "No thanks, don't want to, I'm not using that computer". LOL.
Now I begin everyday with checking my email , paying my bills, and most importantly going onto the DIS and checking the forums. Computers - who would have guessed!
I have found many friends here and learned so much!

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

May I be so naive as to ask what a BBS is? And how many of you still frequent RADP?

 

[Poohbear123]

I had the SAME computer....we owned it for about 4 weeks and GAVE IT BACK! I think that was around 1988! Boy, we sure have come a LONG way!