My Online History

Mostly about connectivity, but also the services.

I knew someone from high school who mentioned internet email as a way to stay in touch in college, but I never did that. I didn't spend that much time on the university computers outside coursework.

Shortly after college graduation in 1984, I bought my first Apple Macintosh.

I started using CompuServe in the 80s. I think I mostly used it for (4th Dimension) tech support, but also some general forum-posting. I remember an app that would connect, post your comments, download the things you were subscribed to, then log you off. So you could read/write mostly offline, saving paid-minutes.

I was still using CompuServe in the early 90s, still heavily for tech-support (Borland Paradox).

In that period I also used AppleLink and Prodigy but not much. I might have used a couple BBSs also, but I can't remember.

In the late 90s I got MindVox as my first/dialup ISP. It had its own forums, plus UseNet. I think I played around with the WeLL a bit, but I don't think I ever paid them money (but maybe I did). I think I was mostly just using terminal-mode for those things. But increasingly the World Wide Web. (I was also working at Medscape.)

Then, I think still in the 90s, I got TimeWarner Cable's RoadRunner broadband service.