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In Superhighway, Alex became obsessed with computers (and the internet) so much so that he had to stay up to midnight to use one.

Computers were not always the sleek and user-friendly gadgets they are today.
When I was in school, we had to learn about computers using main frames and Cobol programming. (I don't know if Cobol is still being used today.) It entailed printing each line of your program on individual cards that had to be arranged in proper order on a tray. (Don't drop those cards!) Otherwise, your program wouldn't run. I know the young ones couldn't relate as in, "What are you talking about, ancient history!"

How about you? Do you have a computer story to tell? Were you always at home with computers? Who among you were once scared of computers and how to boot (meaning, power up) one?

I rememebr our computer internet being shared with the phone line. We were only allowed to use it at specific times and got kicked off when someone rang the house (which was a lot more often because there was no mobile phones).

Yes, those were the dial-up connections because wi-fi was unheard of. To today's generation, that's a nigthmare!

I remember we had a desktop when we were younger and we didn't have any internet so we were just content to play feeding frenzy, pinball and solitaire. I always hoped that the internet would magically come without us having to pay for it. And when it did come (of course we paid for it) it was just a means to get more games to play.

Back here in the Philippines, youngsters still flock to the internet shops to play war games. Perhaps the miniature screens of their own gadgets are not enough to excite them.

Funny enough, we had this conversation a couple of nights ago. The old dial-up... you used to sit and watch the lights on the modem to check if it was connecting. And we used to think how magical the internet was. Now, we realize how super slow it was back then. My kids will never know the irritation of that dial-up tone and how much excitement those little lights brought you. ?

Yes indeed. For today's kids, wi-fi has been there forever. I started with the Jurassic era of computers haha.

I didn't grow up with a computer because they were still way to expensive. The school's commuter lab was the only time I had with a commuter. I remember it being really cool but also very frustrating trying to learn how to use and type on. I don't know if any of you ever were told to never use your pointer finger to type on the keyboard. Now that's pretty much all we use today or our thumbs.

Typing skills have all but gone obsolete when the smart phone entered the picture. Now everybody is all thumbs.

Miriam Molina wrote:Typing skills have all but gone obsolete when the smart phone entered the picture. Now everybody is all thumbs.

I hate using my smart phone to reply to texts and email. Whenever possible, I hold off until I can get to my lap top and a real keyboard. Also, the auto correct function in text message is very frustrating. I could go but I won't.

I grew up using computers. I remember those huge floppy disks that used to have programs on them. I used to play quite a few dos games that I can't even remember any more. Then in high school I got involved in IRC chat! Man those were the days!

I was born in the 90s when the internet was created and took over the world. I don't really have any computer stories besides the fact that they were mandatory for school. I do have a few internet stories though.

I have spent a good portion of my life on computers. When I was little, it was websites that I could play games on and today it is college classes online. I will still have to deal with computers as an artist and photographer as well. My mom on the other hand is the one that is not so computer friendly. She can get on it and not much else. She pretty much can only get onto her email. She just never had an interest in learning how to use a computer.

-- 03 Jun 2017, 12:36 --

I have spent a good portion of my life on computers. When I was little, it was websites that I could play games on and today it is college classes online. I will still have to deal with computers as an artist and photographer as well. My mom on the other hand is the one that is not so computer friendly. She can get on it and not much else. She pretty much can only get onto her email. She just never had an interest in learning how to use a computer.

Amagine wrote:I was born in the 90s when the internet was created and took over the world. I don't really have any computer stories besides the fact that they were mandatory for school. I do have a few internet stories though.

Internet stories count too, especially as the net has "taken over the world", as you say.

The computer is a very helpful technology. It made life easier for our documentation and file storage. I don't really remember a story of my own for now.