Peder
Well-Known Member
It is hard to imagine
in this modern age,
although easy to remember
for some of older age,
a time without the Internet.
A time without email,
Google or Facebook,
Amazon or Wikipedia
shopping or spending,
or instant news (and raucous opinion),
person-to-person communication
around the world day or night,
and hours spent at one's computer.
(And when did we online
not all have one,
or at least
access.)
To talk to Russia or Australia
a childhood dream,
complete with imagining
the amateur radio station
that would make it real.
But a dream never realized
as time's forward push,
college and technology,
engulfed the past
with personal computers
IBM PCs
DEC Rainbows
HP Touch Screens
and subscription campaigns
by AOL and Compuserve.
It was the first sight
of word-processing magic
at the office
plus the free arrival
of an ATT CD in the mail
that tipped the scale for me,
HP my immediate choice,
far too expensive
and way too slow
but the bug was in me
and faster and more capable
not to mention less expensive
inevitably followed,
as the Internet blossomed
from the browser Mosaic,
and the horizon of my bedroom
grew wider around
and touched the Earth
whenever and wherever,
just beneath the keys
of my keyboard.
Life-changing it was,
to summon the courage
to step in, among the
horror stories and rumors
then and still now,
of unscrupulous predators
cons and scams
and stolen identities
and money lost.
But having survived
with suitable care,
life is better forever,
with online acquaintances
all 'round the world
for discussion of books
and other things too.
But the early excitement
and the buzz and the fever
are beginning to subside
as other interests move in
to claim a part of my life,
so after a decade now,
ten full years soon,
as once familiar names fade
and before others leave too,
the time is appropriate
if not already too late,
to thank those friends
who have contributed
to my pleasant times here.
Many thanks for the memories,
Peder
:flowers:
in this modern age,
although easy to remember
for some of older age,
a time without the Internet.
A time without email,
Google or Facebook,
Amazon or Wikipedia
shopping or spending,
or instant news (and raucous opinion),
person-to-person communication
around the world day or night,
and hours spent at one's computer.
(And when did we online
not all have one,
or at least
access.)
To talk to Russia or Australia
a childhood dream,
complete with imagining
the amateur radio station
that would make it real.
But a dream never realized
as time's forward push,
college and technology,
engulfed the past
with personal computers
IBM PCs
DEC Rainbows
HP Touch Screens
and subscription campaigns
by AOL and Compuserve.
It was the first sight
of word-processing magic
at the office
plus the free arrival
of an ATT CD in the mail
that tipped the scale for me,
HP my immediate choice,
far too expensive
and way too slow
but the bug was in me
and faster and more capable
not to mention less expensive
inevitably followed,
as the Internet blossomed
from the browser Mosaic,
and the horizon of my bedroom
grew wider around
and touched the Earth
whenever and wherever,
just beneath the keys
of my keyboard.
Life-changing it was,
to summon the courage
to step in, among the
horror stories and rumors
then and still now,
of unscrupulous predators
cons and scams
and stolen identities
and money lost.
But having survived
with suitable care,
life is better forever,
with online acquaintances
all 'round the world
for discussion of books
and other things too.
But the early excitement
and the buzz and the fever
are beginning to subside
as other interests move in
to claim a part of my life,
so after a decade now,
ten full years soon,
as once familiar names fade
and before others leave too,
the time is appropriate
if not already too late,
to thank those friends
who have contributed
to my pleasant times here.
Many thanks for the memories,
Peder
:flowers:
