First Online Experiences
Jean B.
>
> On Wed, 26 Mar 2003 19:54:37 -0500, "Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com> responded:
[snip] I went online in 1994/1995. Would you believe I
> >wasn't interested at first? I think part of me knew I would be
> >totally addicted. <g>
>
> Jean, I'm curious, where did you go in 1994/95? I got on-line in 1996
> early, March I think, and there was only one penpal club on the
> newsgroups, and that is where I met most of the penpals I still write
> to today. At the time david was still buying the annual "telephone
> books" with all the web pages listed.
Now that's an interesting question. I am starting a new thread so
Wolfie's thread does not get co-opted.
At first, I just saw the PC as a way to communicate with my
sort-of SO. I tried to get onto some newsgroups but was mystified
as to how to do that for a while. I was browsing through
magazines and looking for interesting sites that way, and, as you
know, one site leads to about a million others. Similarly, I did
tons of searches, and those seem always to lead to endless amount
of other interesting things.
I forget whether my first online list was related to cooking or to
Alzheimer's Disease. After I found out how to access newsgroups,
I started corresponding with a man in Australia. (He has a
Balinese wife and is very much into Balinese cooking and
culture.) I also became friends with a gentleman whose wife was
increasingly debilitated by strokes. (She died last year.)
Now it is hard to believe all the websites could ever have been
listed in some way, isn't it? Things have really evolved a lot.
--
Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Wolfie
started surfing right away to get the hang of things and to familiarize myself
with what's out "there". I found several music-related groups (for musicians)
and spent much leisure time getting to know some of the regulars. The flame
wars were something for which I was totally unprepared. As was the often lower
standard of civility than that to which I am accustomed. I soon lost interest
in socializing on the musician groups.
So, in May of 2000 I found AFPF. People of my own age...surely THEY won't abide
flaming and screaming obscenities.
LOLOLOL!!!!!!
Peace, Wolfie<G>
---------
In article <3E82EC98...@rcn.com>, Jean B. says...
**Dalin**
As I recall it was a very thick book, but I could spent an afternoon
just looking through the book and writing down the names of websites I
wanted to visit. What fun it was!
My first newsgroup was alt.soc.penpals and I could sit all afternoon
just reading the messages from people who wanted penpals. It was also
kind of a chat group too. I'm not sure how many newsgroups there were
in early 1996, but I imagine not many.
Dalin
Dalin
Valkyrie
chat groups but found most people very impolite and well as quite crude. I
was even told to p*** off or words to that effect because I didn't really
know what I was doing. I have also noticed that there is a lot of invective
and flaming in many newsgroups even now. You have to be so careful where
you travel. <G>
I'm glad I found this group, though. Despite their idiosyncrasies most of
the people who gather here are quite wonderful.
I first popped in in January 1998 and was also subscribed to an ancient
history newgroup and a book group and a science fiction group. I got to the
point where I was getting very little sleep. Yes, ladies and gentlemen I
was an addict.
So, I went cold turkey for a couple of years. Can you imagine? But once an
addict always an addict. However, I can handle it now. <G>
Hilda
"Wolfie" <dplu...@newsranger.com> wrote in message
news:m3Dga.3179$S4....@www.newsranger.com...
Jean B.
>
> As I recall it was a very thick book, but I could spent an afternoon
> just looking through the book and writing down the names of websites I
> wanted to visit. What fun it was!
>
> My first newsgroup was alt.soc.penpals and I could sit all afternoon
> just reading the messages from people who wanted penpals. It was also
> kind of a chat group too. I'm not sure how many newsgroups there were
> in early 1996, but I imagine not many.
>
signed up for a few newsgroups simultaneously. I don't know when
I finally figured out how to access them, and google wouldn't help
with that, since I lurked at first. After a while I decided I
needed to contribute too.... That's what I need. More time to do
idle freeform searches. Just going wherever a search leads me
(with no illegal ops, please!). I sometimes joke that I need
another life, because I could easily spend more than one just
fiddling around online!
Jean B.
>
> When I first got on the Internet around 1995 -96 I tried getting into some
> chat groups but found most people very impolite and well as quite crude. I
> was even told to p*** off or words to that effect because I didn't really
> know what I was doing. I have also noticed that there is a lot of invective
> and flaming in many newsgroups even now. You have to be so careful where
> you travel. <G>
>
> I'm glad I found this group, though. Despite their idiosyncrasies most of
> the people who gather here are quite wonderful.
>
> I first popped in in January 1998 and was also subscribed to an ancient
> history newgroup and a book group and a science fiction group. I got to the
> point where I was getting very little sleep. Yes, ladies and gentlemen I
> was an addict.
>
> So, I went cold turkey for a couple of years. Can you imagine? But once an
> addict always an addict. However, I can handle it now. <G>
>
person! The only times I am offline for extended periods of time
are when I am really sick, or I have no access for some reason.
It drives me crazy! I REALLY need to spend less time online, but
the opposite seems to have happened.
Now today is a gorgeous day here. I was going to go to Boston. I
may or may not do that, but I do hope I get off my you-know-what
soon and get out that door.
Carol Phillips
interested in. I found some great nursing sites and I joined an email list
for crochet. I became bored with only talking about crochet and started
looking for other things. I also joined a dog/pet list, which led me to
newsgroups. Rec.pets.dogs.behavior was an eye-opener into the art of
flaming....lol. I found this group by accident by just typing in my age. I
get upset with the political arguments but can't quite make myself leave. I
am still hanging out here, even though I don't post as much as I used to.
Carol
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com> wrote in message news:3E82EC98...@rcn.com...
Jean B.
>
> I got my first pc in 1998 and started by doing searches on things I was
> interested in. I found some great nursing sites and I joined an email list
> for crochet. I became bored with only talking about crochet and started
> looking for other things. I also joined a dog/pet list, which led me to
> newsgroups. Rec.pets.dogs.behavior was an eye-opener into the art of
> flaming....lol. I found this group by accident by just typing in my age. I
> get upset with the political arguments but can't quite make myself leave. I
> am still hanging out here, even though I don't post as much as I used to.
> Carol
Nice to see you, Carol. It would be nice if there was less
arguing, and it was always civil. Maybe we should start some new
pleasant threads. I'm out the door now (yes, really!), but I'll
think about that. Maybe Karen can think of some new lists for
us! <g>
bforester
wrote:
>I got my pc as a tool to help in my businesses in about September, '99. I
>started surfing right away to get the hang of things and to familiarize myself
>with what's out "there". I found several music-related groups (for musicians)
>and spent much leisure time getting to know some of the regulars. The flame
>wars were something for which I was totally unprepared. As was the often lower
>standard of civility than that to which I am accustomed. I soon lost interest
>in socializing on the musician groups.
>
>So, in May of 2000 I found AFPF. People of my own age...surely THEY won't abide
>flaming and screaming obscenities.
>
>LOLOLOL!!!!!!
>
>Peace, Wolfie<G>
LOLOLOLOL along with you, under tears!
Paul
Kelly Petit
"Valkyrie" <hi...@britainandeurope-on-line.com.au> wrote in message
news:jpDga.1565$1b5....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> When I first got on the Internet around 1995 -96 I tried getting into some
> chat groups but found most people very impolite and well as quite crude. I
> was even told to p*** off or words to that effect because I didn't really
> know what I was doing. I have also noticed that there is a lot of invective
> and flaming in many newsgroups even now. You have to be so careful where
> you travel. <G>
>
> I'm glad I found this group, though. Despite their idiosyncrasies most of
> the people who gather here are quite wonderful.
>
> I first popped in in January 1998 and was also subscribed to an ancient
> history newgroup and a book group and a science fiction group. I got to the
> point where I was getting very little sleep. Yes, ladies and gentlemen I
> was an addict.
>
> So, I went cold turkey for a couple of years. Can you imagine? But once an
> addict always an addict. However, I can handle it now. <G>
>
> Hilda
>
That's why I don't touch a computer when I'm on holiday - if I do it may just be
to help someone out.
Kelly
Kelly Petit
necessity at first.
Then my youngest son managed to persuade me and I have not regretted. I used
search engines a lot to look up things and as I was into genealogy, I quickly
found that this tool was a marvel to get into contact with other people working
on the same family and also subscribing to genealogy groups.
I was on ICQ for 2 weeks, but that was not my cup of tea so I got rid of it
quickly.
Then I subscribed to 40+ and got fed up with all the "sex -talk" there and ended
up here. Otherwise I've used the on-line service to get information, read
papers, etc.
And then of course I got into web page creating (thanks to David actually) and
spent a lot of time on that. I've tired a bit of it now...
Kelly
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com>
Wolfie
>{rippin' and snippin'}
>>Now today is a gorgeous day here. I was going to go to Boston. I
>may or may not do that, but I do hope I get off my you-know-what
>soon and get out that door.
>
>--
>Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
It's starting to get real purty here, too. I think I'll give myself the
afternoon off and put my "you know what' on Wurthit for some miles of smiles.
Peace, Wolfie
Dink
The earliest message Google has on file from me is from May 1994.
I had already had a computer for a couple of years by then, but
my online participation was through bulletin board systems and
a local computer users' group which had a BBS.
The good old days of Fidonet, Gophers, Archie, Veronica.
There were not enough web hypertext servers back then to need a
search engine.
When internet first became available to the public, there were only
two ISP's... Delphi and Compuserve. And Compuserve provided nothing
but email for a good while.
--
Dink
Kelly Petit
I hope you'll have a nice ride.
I also hope that you had a good outing, Jean.
Kelly
Jean B.
>
> I had a computer for years before I went on-line. I didn't really see the
> necessity at first.
> Then my youngest son managed to persuade me and I have not regretted. I used
> search engines a lot to look up things and as I was into genealogy, I quickly
> found that this tool was a marvel to get into contact with other people working
> on the same family and also subscribing to genealogy groups.
> I was on ICQ for 2 weeks, but that was not my cup of tea so I got rid of it
> quickly.
> Then I subscribed to 40+ and got fed up with all the "sex -talk" there and ended
> up here. Otherwise I've used the on-line service to get information, read
> papers, etc.
> And then of course I got into web page creating (thanks to David actually) and
> spent a lot of time on that. I've tired a bit of it now...
> Kelly
>
back to school when I was 37.) Waaah, that was my beloved
Mac--the computer that NEVER crashed. And I won't even speak of
my printer.
I also tried ICQ or some such thing for a brief while. The
problem is that takes up so much time, and you can't even do
anything else (effectively) while you are chatting. At that point
too, the connections were slow and tricky.
Jean B.
>
> It's starting to get real purty here, too. I think I'll give myself the
> afternoon off and put my "you know what' on Wurthit for some miles of smiles.
>
> Peace, Wolfie
That sounds glorious, Wolfie. Last year I spent a lot of time
just driving around in my new car. Not the same, but as close as
I can come. I did go out for ca 4 hours. I'm going to make an
effort not to just putter around here, especially when the weather
is splendid.
Jean B.
I went into Cambridge and puttered around for about four hours.
Ate at a Malaysian restaurant, browsed in some book stores, looked
for clothes my daughter might deign to wear, resisted having what
is supposed to be the world's richest cocoa and a
delectable-looking dessert at the chocolatier.
Kelly Petit
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com> wrote in message news:3E835703...@rcn.com...
This is my fifth computer, I must tell you though that the first two ones were
practically not more than toys (Commodore 64 and Amstrad or something like
that). Then I got a portable which was very reliable, I also had a printer! But
I could only put one page into it at the time!!
We've come a long way-:)
Kelly
Jean B.
I guess I've had three computers--my sweet Mac, a Dell (which my
daughter now has and won't let her dad update), and the Sony I
have now. Now I forget about the paper situation with my old
printer. I think you could put a lot of paper into it.
BTW, the Mac is sitting right here on this desk, but it is just
taking up space. My sort-of SO has the printer and may have given
it away for all *I* know. Gad, those things cost an arm and a leg
when I first got them--at least 15 times as much as they do now.
Kelly Petit
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com>
>
> I went into Cambridge and puttered around for about four hours.
> Ate at a Malaysian restaurant, browsed in some book stores, looked
> for clothes my daughter might deign to wear, resisted having what
> is supposed to be the world's richest cocoa and a
> delectable-looking dessert at the chocolatier.
> --
> Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
It's nice just to stroll around, isn't it? I so seldom have the time to do that.
But when I'm on holidays, I do enjoy that.
Good girl-:) Leave the cocoa and other temptations for those that want to put on
weight. Have an apple instead.
I've been working as usual until 5.30 this afternoon and as it was the last day
with "my" student we also had to talk a bit!
I had prepared a transparent and was to use the OH-projetor for my last lesson
this evening. I don't know whether you saw that cover page (was it Time or
Newsweek or Science? I've forgotten) - but the picture is very good. It's in
three parts, Michelangelo's painting of God and Adam touching fingers, then a
baby created by man and at the bottom there's a robotized hand and a man's hand.
Well, after 6 minutes my OH-projector broke down and I had to improvise.
Everything went fine though. But I was really annoyed all the same <g>
Kelly
Kelly Petit
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com>
>
> I guess I've had three computers--my sweet Mac, a Dell (which my
> daughter now has and won't let her dad update), and the Sony I
> have now. Now I forget about the paper situation with my old
> printer. I think you could put a lot of paper into it.
>
> BTW, the Mac is sitting right here on this desk, but it is just
> taking up space. My sort-of SO has the printer and may have given
> it away for all *I* know. Gad, those things cost an arm and a leg
> when I first got them--at least 15 times as much as they do now.
> --
> Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
That's true they were absolutely frigtfully expensive! The Commododore 64 was in
1980 if I remember right. It had a cassette and it took quite a few minutes to
upload things. I learned to program even!! Basic : <go to> lol
But we had a lot of fun with it. I forgot that I bought a new portable for Xmas
that I brought to Norway for our daughter, but I don't think I'll get it back
<g>
Kelly
Kelly
DittyDu...@webtv.net
It had internet access, but my BIL said he never got online because of
hackers and viruses, and his records were safe.
So about all I did with it was access the local library catalogue.
Then my SIL got a web tv. It doesn't get viruses and hackers. I told
my sister about it, and she got each of us one. I began to save lots of
LD bills calling relatives. It was worth it. (Not Worthit)
The first ng I went to was the one for webtv users, so I could learn
what we could do, since it doesn't have computer capabilities. Some
girl was saying how she sat on her comfy couch with her cat on her lap
and the keyboard on the cat and surfed. Then some guy wrote that he
tried tying the keyboard on his cat, as it kept slipping off at the
side. Then, he said his wife turned on the can opener, and the cat took
off with his keyboard, which fell down the stairs and broke the cap lock
key, and now he has to write in lower case all the time.
I was really taken by the remote keyboard and the large screen, so now I
can recline on the bed and rest my back while I write. I never did like
a desk job all that much. Too bad Bluebird doesn't have one of these.
She could lie back, put the keyboard on a pillow (or her cat) and join
in.
Anyway, I started trying out the instant messaging--didn't like that--
and some genealogy groups which were beyond my ability, and some chat
rooms which proved to be boring, and the other senior newsgroups, when
someone told me to try this one. I wish I knew who it was.
I think the reason this group has gone on so long and so well is that
almost everyone is polite, well educated, and more intellectual than
the average ng people, with a good sense of humor.
I hope it won't be spoiled by interlopers.
Blake
Kelly Petit
<DittyDu...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:9022-3E8...@storefull-2117.public.lawson.webtv.net...
That's interesting Blake-:)
I've never seen a webTV myself, isn't there also a place where you an store info
online?
From your last paragraph, I can tell straight away that your an eligible memeber
of the MAS-:)
Kelly
Marian
>> > >may or may not do that, but I do hope I get off my you-know-what
>> > >soon and get out that door.
>> > >
>> > >--
>> > >Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
>> >
>> > It's starting to get real purty here, too. I think I'll give myself the
>> > afternoon off and put my "you know what' on Wurthit for some miles of
>smiles.
>> >
>> > Peace, Wolfie
>> >
>> Good idea, Wolfie-:)
>> I hope you'll have a nice ride.
>> I also hope that you had a good outing, Jean.
>> Kelly
>
>I went into Cambridge and puttered around for about four hours.
>Ate at a Malaysian restaurant, browsed in some book stores, looked
>for clothes my daughter might deign to wear, resisted having what
>is supposed to be the world's richest cocoa and a
>delectable-looking dessert at the chocolatier.
>--
>Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Sounds like an almost perfect day, Jean.
[Hope you had a good ride, Wolfie]
Marian<who would have indulged in the chocolate>
========================
"Don't talk to ME about sacrifice..."
http://www.uclick.com/client/nyt/bs/
*******************************************
Marian
the keyboard. Marian<VBG>
========================
Marian
>The earliest message Google has on file from me is from May 1994.
>
>I had already had a computer for a couple of years by then, but
>my online participation was through bulletin board systems and
>a local computer users' group which had a BBS.
>
>The good old days of Fidonet, Gophers, Archie, Veronica.
>There were not enough web hypertext servers back then to need a
>search engine.
>
>When internet first became available to the public, there were only
>two ISP's... Delphi and Compuserve. And Compuserve provided nothing
>but email for a good while.
>--
>Dink
I seem to remember my uncle [who died last year at 94] saying that he was
on-line from '79. Is that possible? He used Compuserve. Marian
Karen
My first laptop was purchased in late 1994 because I wanted to
learn more about word-processing. Before I knew it, by early 1995,
I became involved with the Bulletin Boards of Prodigy.com.
I learned how to operate offline with something called "Bulletin
Board Note Manager" (BBNM). It was so much fun "talking" to
people on the BBs. There were so many different topics and
so many different conversations. It was all so new and different!
Soon after, Prodigy invited me to be a "special contributor".
For that, I got free monthly access.
Essentially, a special contributor, keeps the conversational ball
rolling. Well, I did that automatically. So it was no work at all. <g>
After a while, I felt that I was spending too much time at the
computer and enjoying it less. So, like some others here, I took
a break. Not for long though. <g> When I returned to my computer
I got on the Internet, because soon after that, the bulletin boards
shut down.
Among many others, I've been on Book Discussion forums,
Birding BBs and a special forum for women called Women
Online. I've jumped around the newsgroups, sampling quite
a few of them. I was at alt.quotations for a while until I got
sick of the sexual double entendres one of the females there
was dumping onto the ng. What a shame, especially for such
a classy ng. Sexual double entendres are such a cheap attempt
at cleverness. Really childish, IMO. They were fun when I first
discovered them, but that sort of thing gets old very fast.
I started a couple of Yahoo Groups and one of them was quite
successful for a while. I called it "Retirees Online". I was also
a moderator of an EZ-Board forum for a while. Then I created
my own EZ-Board forum as an "administrator". I called it
"Retirees Online", using the same name once again. I was
interested in how administrators set up and operated those forums.
All of these did fairly well, but at times some of them dragged a bit.
So I shut them down.
Originally, I found AFPF by putting the word "friends" into the
search box. I returned to AFPF after 3 years of "doing my own
thing". Who knows what I'll do next? <g> I hope I will continue to
find AFPF interesting and enjoyable. Otherwise I may have to go
back to burying myself in books and being buried by TV. <g>
Karen
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com> wrote
> **Dalin** wrote in thread re Alina's b'day:
Dink
news:20030327171159...@mb-fx.aol.com:
>>
>>The earliest message Google has on file from me is from May 1994.
>>
>>I had already had a computer for a couple of years by then, but
>>my online participation was through bulletin board systems and
>>a local computer users' group which had a BBS.
>>
>>The good old days of Fidonet, Gophers, Archie, Veronica.
>>There were not enough web hypertext servers back then to need a
>>search engine.
>>
>>When internet first became available to the public, there were only
>>two ISP's... Delphi and Compuserve. And Compuserve provided nothing
>>but email for a good while.
>>--
>>Dink
>
> I seem to remember my uncle [who died last year at 94] saying that he
> was on-line from '79. Is that possible? He used Compuserve.
> Marian
The first public dialup internet was in 1990 - world.std.com in the
greater Boston area.
<URL http://www.zakon.org/robert/internet/timeline/>
Your uncle could have been using the Compuserve user community as
early as 1979. Remember, the IBM PC only came out in 1980-81.
Before that, it was Apple and Atari.
I remember that pre-IBM-PC where I worked, we could connect to
Compuserve using a dumb terminal connected to a telephone modem to
check airline schedules and fares. That would have been about 1979.
(teletype mode, 300 baud)
--
Dink
Jean B.
It sounds like webtv, as reviled as it is, has some advantages
there, Blake. Actually I know practically nothing about webtv.
What can you and can't you do on it?
Yoj
Jean B.
>
> It's nice just to stroll around, isn't it? I so seldom have the time to do that.
I haven't done that for a long time. I used to really enjoy
walking. In fact, I didn't even have a car til I was 42, so I
walked and took public transportation everywhere. I used to go
three stops beyond where I worked just so I could walk back
througn Boston Common and the Public Gardens (that's where the
swanboats are--in case you have heard about them; it is also the
setting for "Make Way for Ducklings", which is a famous children's
book--rather outdated now though I think)
> But when I'm on holidays, I do enjoy that.
And soon you'll be on holiday, right?
> Good girl-:) Leave the cocoa and other temptations for those that want to put on
> weight. Have an apple instead.
You are such a good influence! Thank you for reminding me of
that.
>
> I've been working as usual until 5.30 this afternoon and as it was the last day
> with "my" student we also had to talk a bit!
>
> I had prepared a transparent and was to use the OH-projetor for my last lesson
> this evening. I don't know whether you saw that cover page (was it Time or
> Newsweek or Science? I've forgotten) - but the picture is very good. It's in
> three parts, Michelangelo's painting of God and Adam touching fingers, then a
> baby created by man and at the bottom there's a robotized hand and a man's hand.
Yes, I think I recall that.
>
> Well, after 6 minutes my OH-projector broke down and I had to improvise.
> Everything went fine though. But I was really annoyed all the same <g>
Well, I have great confidence in you. I am glad it turned out
well, even if you were annoyed.
Jean B.
>
> That's true they were absolutely frigtfully expensive! The Commododore 64 was in
> 1980 if I remember right. It had a cassette and it took quite a few minutes to
> upload things. I learned to program even!! Basic : <go to> lol
> But we had a lot of fun with it. I forgot that I bought a new portable for Xmas
> that I brought to Norway for our daughter, but I don't think I'll get it back
> <g>
Ugh. Programming. I hated doing that at work. I am so glad that
we don't have to do that to be online.
NHunkele
>At first, I just saw the PC as a way to communicate with my
>sort-of SO. I tried to get onto some newsgroups but was mystified
>as to how to do that for a while. I was browsing through
>magazines and looking for interesting sites that way, and, as you
>know, one site leads to about a million others. Similarly, I did
>tons of searches, and those seem always to lead to endless amount
>of other interesting things.
>
>I forget whether my first online list was related to cooking or to
>Alzheimer's Disease. After I found out how to access newsgroups,
>I started corresponding with a man in Australia. (He has a
>Balinese wife and is very much into Balinese cooking and
>culture.) I also became friends with a gentleman whose wife was
>increasingly debilitated by strokes. (She died last year.)
>
>Now it is hard to believe all the websites could ever have been
>listed in some way, isn't it? Things have really evolved a lot.
>
>Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
My first 'computer' was a PC Jr. Iused it for word processing and games. When
my husband died, mydaughter insisted I get a 'real' one and ordered a Mac for
me.
A friend of hers gave me a WEB TV book and I found a group very similar to this
one which I very much enjoyed. When my ISP changed I could no longer access it
and lucked into 40+. I'm not sure how I came from there to here, but here I
am.
The first Mac was replaced by a second one which I still have and occasionally
use. After I moved here I switched to a PC because there is/was very little
that could be downloaded to a Mac.
I subscribe to several groups in which I mostly lurk and one in which I post,
very infrequently, looking for stained glass advice.
Norma
Jean B.
impressed! Makes me feel like a real newbie, and I am relatively
speaking. I was never even on a BB....
Jean B.
Jean B.
>
> The first public dialup internet was in 1990 - world.std.com in the
> greater Boston area.
>
> <URL http://www.zakon.org/robert/internet/timeline/>
>
> Your uncle could have been using the Compuserve user community as
> early as 1979. Remember, the IBM PC only came out in 1980-81.
> Before that, it was Apple and Atari.
>
> I remember that pre-IBM-PC where I worked, we could connect to
> Compuserve using a dumb terminal connected to a telephone modem to
> check airline schedules and fares. That would have been about 1979.
> (teletype mode, 300 baud)
>
> --
> Dink
Thanks for posting that url, Dink. It brings back certain
memories....
Karen
unbelievable to be "talking" to someone in Hawaii.
Little did I know that I'd soon be talking to people in
Europe! I wonder why we don't have anyone from
Hawaii on this newsgroup.
Actually, about a year ago, I was "talking" to someone
in China. I met him on a newsgroup which dealt with
the English language. He asked me to help him with
his English. He worked for MacDonald's and had to
make a presentation in English. I proofed it for him
and corrected the parts which sounded like "broken English".
He seemed very appreciative.
Karen
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com> wrote
Jean B.
>
> My first 'computer' was a PC Jr. Iused it for word processing and games. When
> my husband died, mydaughter insisted I get a 'real' one and ordered a Mac for
> me.
>
> A friend of hers gave me a WEB TV book and I found a group very similar to this
> one which I very much enjoyed. When my ISP changed I could no longer access it
> and lucked into 40+. I'm not sure how I came from there to here, but here I
> am.
>
> The first Mac was replaced by a second one which I still have and occasionally
> use. After I moved here I switched to a PC because there is/was very little
> that could be downloaded to a Mac.
>
> I subscribe to several groups in which I mostly lurk and one in which I post,
> very infrequently, looking for stained glass advice.
>
your statement about downloading. Would you elaborate sometime?
Also, I guess you mean OTHER NGs....
DittyDu...@webtv.net
Gee, I don't know everything you can do on it, as mostly I just use it
for email and this ng. I have a word processer that I am used to, but
webtv is supposed to have word processing capabilities. You can carry it
around like a laptop, and connect it to your tv in a motel when you
travel. I suppose you could do the same in a hospital room, unless the
management objected. It will drive a printer. It has a Search mode, and
MSN Instant Messenger, but you can't talk to AOLers.
You can save emails and bookmark sites. I have the cheap one where you
have to go to Kinko's to have pics scanned into your email; but there is
a model that has the scan capability. I sometimes get film developed at
places that will send me the pics online, so could print them out or
email them to relatives. I have forgotten a lot of the stuff I used to
do. It would be perfect for Bluebird when she has to stay in bed and
watch tv. Sometimes I prop up on the bed with my breakfast tray and
read across the room. Other times, I sit in a swivel chair.
It has its own techie staff, called WeCare, and everybody calls it
WeDon'tCare. If the "mainframe" in Palo Alto (I don't know how else to
describe it,) happens to get bug in the new update, you just have to
wait until they clear it. That doesn't happen often, but it's a
nuisance when it does. You can't read java or adobe acrobat. There
is a whole Dummies book for it, but I don't have it, and it's been a
long time since I read the webtv ng to keep up.
----------------------
DittyDu...@webtv.net
it's own, though.
Yes, I can store email, and bookmark sites, and print hard copies, and
access search engines.
I like the remote keyboard and the big screen the most, though.
Oh, goodie! I was hoping I could be a member of MAS.
Blake
------------------
Dink
news:11822-3E...@storefull-2111.public.lawson.webtv.net:
I think you can look at anything, but you can't save nuthin.
--
Dink
Karen
I'll put you on the MAS list. <g>
Now... what did I do with my yellow pad? LOL
Karen
<DittyDu...@webtv.net> wrote
Marian
got started, if not as you detailed here. I don't recall ever hearing what
machine he was using, but I used to get dot matrix notes from him that I guess
he printed out for all those not connected...
Marian
>> I seem to remember my uncle [who died last year at 94] saying that he
>> was on-line from '79. Is that possible? He used Compuserve.
>> Marian
>
>The first public dialup internet was in 1990 - world.std.com in the
>greater Boston area.
>
><URL http://www.zakon.org/robert/internet/timeline/>
>
>Your uncle could have been using the Compuserve user community as
>early as 1979. Remember, the IBM PC only came out in 1980-81.
>Before that, it was Apple and Atari.
>
>I remember that pre-IBM-PC where I worked, we could connect to
>Compuserve using a dumb terminal connected to a telephone modem to
>check airline schedules and fares. That would have been about 1979.
>(teletype mode, 300 baud)
>
>--
>Dink
*******************************************
Shock and Awful...
http://www.uclick.com/client/wpc/sc/
*******************************************
Jean B.
>
> It is reviled because it is cheap and easy.
> Gee, I don't know everything you can do on it, as mostly I just use it
> for email and this ng. I have a word processer that I am used to, but
> webtv is supposed to have word processing capabilities. You can carry it
> around like a laptop, and connect it to your tv in a motel when you
> travel. I suppose you could do the same in a hospital room, unless the
> management objected. It will drive a printer. It has a Search mode, and
> MSN Instant Messenger, but you can't talk to AOLers.
> You can save emails and bookmark sites. I have the cheap one where you
> have to go to Kinko's to have pics scanned into your email; but there is
> a model that has the scan capability. I sometimes get film developed at
> places that will send me the pics online, so could print them out or
> email them to relatives. I have forgotten a lot of the stuff I used to
> do. It would be perfect for Bluebird when she has to stay in bed and
> watch tv. Sometimes I prop up on the bed with my breakfast tray and
> read across the room. Other times, I sit in a swivel chair.
>
> It has its own techie staff, called WeCare, and everybody calls it
> WeDon'tCare. If the "mainframe" in Palo Alto (I don't know how else to
> describe it,) happens to get bug in the new update, you just have to
> wait until they clear it. That doesn't happen often, but it's a
> nuisance when it does. You can't read java or adobe acrobat. There
> is a whole Dummies book for it, but I don't have it, and it's been a
> long time since I read the webtv ng to keep up.
>
for illuminating me.
Wolfie
>
>
>"Wolfie" <dplu...@newsranger.com> wrote in message
>news:%%Hga.3303$S4....@www.newsranger.com...
>> In article <3E830906...@rcn.com>, Jean B. says...
>> >{rippin' and snippin'}
>> >>Now today is a gorgeous day here. I was going to go to Boston. I
>> >may or may not do that, but I do hope I get off my you-know-what
>> >soon and get out that door.
>> >
>> >Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
>>
>> afternoon off and put my "you know what' on Wurthit for some miles of smiles.
>>
>> Peace, Wolfie
>>
>Good idea, Wolfie-:)
>I hope you'll have a nice ride.
>I also hope that you had a good outing, Jean.
>Kelly
>
>
demands.<g>
Peace, Wolfie
Wolfie
>
>Kelly Petit wrote:
>>
>> "Wolfie" <dplu...@newsranger.com> wrote in message
>> news:%%Hga.3303$S4....@www.newsranger.com...
>> > In article <3E830906...@rcn.com>, Jean B. says...
>> > >{rippin' and snippin'}
>> > >>Now today is a gorgeous day here. I was going to go to Boston. I
>> > >may or may not do that, but I do hope I get off my you-know-what
>> > >soon and get out that door.
>> > >
>> > >--
>> > >Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
>> >
>> > It's starting to get real purty here, too. I think I'll give myself the
>> > afternoon off and put my "you know what' on Wurthit for some miles of smiles.
>> >
>> > Peace, Wolfie
>> >
>> Good idea, Wolfie-:)
>> I hope you'll have a nice ride.
>> I also hope that you had a good outing, Jean.
>> Kelly
>
>Ate at a Malaysian restaurant, browsed in some book stores, looked
>for clothes my daughter might deign to wear, resisted having what
>is supposed to be the world's richest cocoa and a
>delectable-looking dessert at the chocolatier.
>Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
I went to the garage to let Wurthit out and ran smack into 23 unfinished
projects that were asking me how I could afford to take time off while they sat
there awaiting completion. They had somehow alligned themselves between the
garage door and Wurthit...there was "no way around" them. <G>
So I rolled Wurthit out into the BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE!!!! and continued working
while sneaking glances at my red and chrome muse; wondering why I seemed to have
more to do on sunny days than rainy ones.
Peace, Wolfie
Jean B.
>
> LOL! I didn't quite make it, Kelly. Reality made some non-negotiable
> demands.<g>
>
go out again. (Gasp!) Trying to get into a less sedentary mode.
Also, the weather here is nice again today and it will be rainy
(or possibly even snowy) this weekend.
Jean B.
>
> I went to the garage to let Wurthit out and ran smack into 23 unfinished
> projects that were asking me how I could afford to take time off while they sat
> there awaiting completion. They had somehow alligned themselves between the
> garage door and Wurthit...there was "no way around" them. <G>
That's unfortunate!
>
> So I rolled Wurthit out into the BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE!!!! and continued working
> while sneaking glances at my red and chrome muse; wondering why I seemed to have
> more to do on sunny days than rainy ones.
I dunno, but speaking of that, I am debating about tackling the
awful-looking yard myself soon. The yard workers did not even
show up for the fall clean up. On one hand, it would be A LOT of
work. On the other, I like my moss, ferns, areas covered with
pine needles, etc., and I don't want them ruined.
**Dalin**
wrote:
And then there is the little matter of working on the fire break so we
don't need to worry about you again this fall. :)
Dalin
>
Wolfie
Lessee....fire season starts in...hmmm...and I can get HOW much done in one day
now??? I need a ride to clear my head!<g>
Peace, Wolfie(servicing his chainsaws)
Kelly Petit
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com> wrote in message news:3E8393B3...@rcn.com...
> Kelly Petit wrote:
> >
> > It's nice just to stroll around, isn't it? I so seldom have the time to do
that.
>
> I haven't done that for a long time. I used to really enjoy
> walking. In fact, I didn't even have a car til I was 42, so I
> walked and took public transportation everywhere. I used to go
> three stops beyond where I worked just so I could walk back
> througn Boston Common and the Public Gardens (that's where the
> swanboats are--in case you have heard about them; it is also the
> setting for "Make Way for Ducklings", which is a famous children's
> book--rather outdated now though I think)
I walk a lot when I'm on holidays otherwise I walk to school every day. It kaes
me a little bit less than 10 minutes. So some days I walk 4 km, other days only
2. But I've been doing this for 3 years now and it makes me feel good.
I seldom use my car, but I let my son use it as his in Norway.
No, I've never heard of the swanboats, but I'm sure it's a lovely sight-:)
>
> > But when I'm on holidays, I do enjoy that.
>
> And soon you'll be on holiday, right?
Right you are, in three weeks, we'll be away-:) <BIG SMILE>
>
> > Good girl-:) Leave the cocoa and other temptations for those that want to
put on
> > weight. Have an apple instead.
>
> You are such a good influence! Thank you for reminding me of
> that.
Hehe, are you really glad for that???
> >
> > I've been working as usual until 5.30 this afternoon and as it was the last
day
> > with "my" student we also had to talk a bit!
> >
> > I had prepared a transparent and was to use the OH-projetor for my last
lesson
> > this evening. I don't know whether you saw that cover page (was it Time or
> > Newsweek or Science? I've forgotten) - but the picture is very good. It's in
> > three parts, Michelangelo's painting of God and Adam touching fingers, then
a
> > baby created by man and at the bottom there's a robotized hand and a man's
hand.
>
> Yes, I think I recall that.
> >
> > Well, after 6 minutes my OH-projector broke down and I had to improvise.
> > Everything went fine though. But I was really annoyed all the same <g>
>
> Well, I have great confidence in you. I am glad it turned out
> well, even if you were annoyed.
>
> --
> Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Yes, I was annoyed, because I had prepared it all so nicely. But it doesn't
really matter, the pupils didn't realise anything and my student who understood
said that he'd also understood that a teacher also had to be more than a simple
teachers sometimes...
Kelly
Kelly Petit
"Jean B." <jb...@rcn.com> wrote in message news:3E839452...@rcn.com...
I loved it-:)
I remember now I said my second one was an Amstrad, but it was Atari.
Kelly
Kelly Petit
The big screen must be nice-
Yes, you're definitely a MMAS now-:)
Kelly
<DittyDu...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:11821-3E8...@storefull-2111.public.lawson.webtv.net...
Kelly Petit
"Wolfie" <dplu...@newsranger.com>
> LOL! I didn't quite make it, Kelly. Reality made some non-negotiable
> demands.<g>
>
> Peace, Wolfie
>
Well, there'll be other days and you'll be out there on your red Wurthit!!
Kelly
Karen
I had forgotten about those dot matrix printouts.
How fast we forget!
Karen, now recalling the old mimeograph machines... <g>
"Marian" <lust...@aol.com> wrote
> Thanks, Dink. He did have a University connection, so perhaps that's where
he
> got started, if not as you detailed here. I don't recall ever hearing what
> machine he was using, but I used to get dot matrix notes from him that I
guess
> he printed out for all those not connected...
> Marian
>
> >> I seem to remember my uncle [who died last year at 94] saying that he
> >> was on-line from '79. Is that possible? He used Compuserve.
> >> Marian
> >
> >The first public dialup internet was in 1990 - world.std.com in the
> >greater Boston area.
> ><URL http://www.zakon.org/robert/internet/timeline/>
> >
> >Your uncle could have been using the Compuserve user community as
> >early as 1979. Remember, the IBM PC only came out in 1980-81.
> >Before that, it was Apple and Atari.
> >
> >I remember that pre-IBM-PC where I worked, we could connect to
> >Compuserve using a dumb terminal connected to a telephone modem to
> >check airline schedules and fares. That would have been about 1979.
> >(teletype mode, 300 baud)
> >Dink
Marian
this technology will be old-fashioned collectibles in a few years?
Marian<g>
*******************************************
Doonesbury
http://www.uclick.com/client/nyt/db/
*******************************************
Jean B.
>
> Marian,
> I had forgotten about those dot matrix printouts.
> How fast we forget!
> Karen, now recalling the old mimeograph machines... <g>
>
freshly mimeographed pages....
NHunkele
And the pruple ink stains if you forgot to protect the cuffs on your white
blouse.
Norma
Karen
I was assigned the task of caring for the mimeograph machine in the
teachers' room in the school where I used to teach. I remember having to
pour the fluid into the tank of the machine. This was a really high tech job
for me. LOLOL I wasn't mechanically inclined at all.
Yes, Jean and Marian, I can still remember the alcohol smell. The copies
felt wet when you first took them out of the machine.
Karen
"NHunkele" <nhun...@aol.comfort> wrote
> >Karen wrote:
> >> Marian,
> >> I had forgotten about those dot matrix printouts.
> >> How fast we forget!
> >> Karen, now recalling the old mimeograph machines... <g>
> >>
> >And that, of course, leads one to remember the smell of those
> >freshly mimeographed pages....
Jane
My first newsgroup sortie was in 1997 to some sort of feminist newsgroup.
Prior to the internet, I had participated in a bulletin board that was
run by a woman, primarily for women. I met some very nice people there.
There were some ardent feminists, but also a lot of different types.
Welfare mothers, happily married women, singles, transgendered people,
and some men who just wanted to know what the group was about.
Strangely, even when men arrived looking for a fight, flame wars did not
erupt. Everyone argued civilly, and most of the men who arrived were more
curious than argumentative.
So the flame wars on the internet news groups were quite a shock to me.
I wonder what it is about this form of communication that makes some
people believe that good manners are out of date.
As far as the web is concerned, I tried it considerably earlier than
newsgroups, and my first experience was looking for some information on
mortality rate increases due to Aids in the insured population as opposed
to the general population. I never did find anything useful. A few years
later, a new study crossed my desk with the information I had been
looking for, and stating that it was the first of its kind. So I guess it
wasn't my search techniques that were at fault. LOL
In those days, pretty much everything was in text, very few web sites had
graphics. But that was OK, because I was using a 9600 baud modem, and
even text files took forever to download.
Frankly, I didn't find it addictive at that time, because I got so bored
waiting for things to appear. That was partly why I waited so long to try
newsgroups - no patience.
But now, with this newsgroup, all the great information out there and a
fast cable connection, I'm well and truly hooked!
Jane
In article <3E830840...@rcn.com>, jb...@rcn.com says...
> **Dalin** wrote:
> >
> > As I recall it was a very thick book, but I could spent an afternoon
> > just looking through the book and writing down the names of websites I
> > wanted to visit. What fun it was!
> >
> > My first newsgroup was alt.soc.penpals and I could sit all afternoon
> > just reading the messages from people who wanted penpals. It was also
> > kind of a chat group too. I'm not sure how many newsgroups there were
> > in early 1996, but I imagine not many.
> >
> I think my first newsgroup was rec.food.cooking. I may have
> signed up for a few newsgroups simultaneously. I don't know when
> I finally figured out how to access them, and google wouldn't help
> with that, since I lurked at first. After a while I decided I
> needed to contribute too.... That's what I need. More time to do
> idle freeform searches. Just going wherever a search leads me
> (with no illegal ops, please!). I sometimes joke that I need
> another life, because I could easily spend more than one just
> fiddling around online!
>
>
Jean B.
--
Jim Everman
> . . . snip
> erupt. Everyone argued civilly, and most of the men who arrived were more
> curious than argumentative.
>
> So the flame wars on the internet news groups were quite a shock to me.
>
> I wonder what it is about this form of communication that makes some
> people believe that good manners are out of date.
> Jane
I sniped a lot because this is all I want to address here...
First, and with a smile, it is not only the men that start arguments,
although in the context of your original message (Women's groups), I'm
sure that statement is correct.
As for the flames, my thought is that in a face to face
confrontation, the flamer would be quick to see the shocked look on
the other face, OR be left standing alone with no audience, OR find
himself on the floor with a bloody nose - or worse.
Here, he can finish his flame without interruption. Perhaps even sit
back and savor how succulently (not) he has put down the other party.
Then if no response is forthcoming, he was obviously successful (not)
and the behavior is reinforced. If the other party responds in kind,
the fight is on.
Couple that with adolescence...
Also, we have people that are proud that they "tell it like it is and
damn the consequences." Again, many times they would find themselves
talking to the air after a few words, but here (on the 'net) they can
take all the time they need to infuriate the other person quite well
and without a clue. Many people find it very difficult to resist
responding to such thoughtless outbursts. And so the fight is on...
--
Jim Everman mailto:eve...@Anet-STL.com
http://webusers.Anet-STL.com/~everman/
Jean B.
>
> Jane wrote:
> > . . . snip
> > Strangely, even when men arrived looking for a fight, flame wars did not
> > erupt. Everyone argued civilly, and most of the men who arrived were more
> > curious than argumentative.
> >
> > So the flame wars on the internet news groups were quite a shock to me.
> >
> > I wonder what it is about this form of communication that makes some
> > people believe that good manners are out of date.
> > . . . snip
> > Jane
>
> I sniped a lot because this is all I want to address here...
>
Sniped quite a lot, did you?
Jim Everman
>
> Sniped quite a lot, did you?
Yes.
Marian
>Well, I for one, am very glad you are hooked, Jane!
>
>--
>Jean B., 12 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
>> But now, with this newsgroup, all the great information out there and a
>> fast cable connection, I'm well and truly hooked!
>>
>> Jane
Yoj
news:3E870203...@anet-stl.com...
That's a good summary, Jim!
Joy
Jane
> > But now, with this newsgroup, all the great information out there and a
> > fast cable connection, I'm well and truly hooked!
> >
> > Jane
> >
> Well, I for one, am very glad you are hooked, Jane!
>
>
So am I.
Jane