My First Time
By Jo Ann
@akalinus (40934)
United States
May 15, 2024 12:38pm CST
I remember the early days of my internet adventures. It was in the library on AOL dial-up. I was middle age and eager to learn this to be modern and hip, or whatever. I also wanted to find genealogy information about our family.
At the time, there was a lot of talk about UFOs. I looked it up and found I could load a photo. It was a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) or flying saucer. It took a long time and I was afraid I did something wrong.
Then, I got a message saying, "You have made a fatal error."
I shut it off quickly, not knowing how to do it. I ran out of the library and huddled in my car until I felt sane enough to drive home. I hoped the UFO would not follow me home.
Do you have a zany first day on the internet story?
9 people like this
7 responses
@kaylachan (59635)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
15 May
No. I don't think I remember my first day online, honestly. I just remember falling in love. Hard to think the internet is in the palm of our hands, literally.
2 people like this
@akalinus (40934)
• United States
15 May
I used to write stories and type them to send to magazines. I had to write them, edit them, type them up, edit that, and then retype, find a proper-sized envelope, and put the right postage on it. I had to include a return envelope with more postage.
The internet makes it all so much easier and better. I was so grateful to get it at home.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (40934)
• United States
16 May
I had an eMachine and a printer which I used as a word processor. It was not hooked up to the internet, we could not get the internet where I lived. I got one of those AOL disks in the mail. Didn't everyone? Well, it did not work there in the woods.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (40934)
• United States
17 May
@just4him I know the feeling. The first time I went on Facebook or an earning site, I was lost too. It was awful. I entered a strange new world and nothing worked the way I thought it would. I am still learning and wish I knew how to get paid on one site, probably won't.
1 person likes this
@just4him (309983)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
16 May
@akalinus Yes, I got one of those AOL disks.
I just remembered the first time I was on the Internet. It was my call center job. I didn't know my way around the Internet. My supervisor set me up with an e-mail account and showed me how to use the Internet. I was completely lost.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (171910)
• United States
18 May
@akalinus At home..I had a brand spankin new computer. Friend was still around at that time. I have known him forever. He showed me how to do some things on it.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (40934)
• United States
18 May
@snowy22315 I wish I had someone to help me learn things. The things I am missing are probably obvious to anyone else but not me.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (160128)
• United States
16 May
I remember dial-up and not being able to use the phone. My MIL would get so angry when she couldn't get through. I also got an expensive camera that used floppy disks. I took hundreds of pictures with that camera. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (160128)
• United States
18 May
@akalinus I never texted; and we don't have smartphones. We're still in the middle ages.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (40934)
• United States
18 May
@LindaOHio You might be better off living in ancient times. Life was simpler then and no robot is going to try to eat your brain. 
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