What did we do before the Internet?

[Doc Bernard]

Well, the DSL line is now in at the new place. It only took a couple of weeks apparently. Guess ATT had to go out and mine some new copper to make the wire for my connection.

But in my "down time" (still had access at work, but nowhere near the freedom, just the basics: checking emails, etc.) I began to think about the time before Internet and the advent of technology. I found myself looking at it and how the tech world has become intertwined in our lives. "Fads" become necessities. I actually remember when the Internet was "not going to catch on." (Hey I learned BASIC programming on an old TRS-80)

If you think about it, it is kind of frightening, yet intriguing as to where we go next. A simple look at how cellphones alone have evolved is a good example. When they first came out, only the very rich had them and they pretty much had to go in a car (huge). Now, they fit in the palm of your hand, and 10's of millions of people have them.

Filming: Any kid with a camera can put a film together as long as they have access to a digital camera and computer (you know what I mean).

Computers: They can do most everything we saw on TV as kids on "Lost in Space" and "Star Trek".

Medical: We have robotic assisted surgery

Robots: Roomba, the Toyota thing, The DARPA unmanned land vehicle challenge.

What I am trying to say, I guess, is that I should never not have Internet. I get philosophical and think too much about that kind of stuff. "Ahh, mind-numbing YouTube, save me from thinking."

Oh, and for those counting, I also bought a DTV converter last weekend (I went almost 6 months with no TV!). But the signal is pretty crappy.

 

[Marc Villafan]

Right up there with Plato and Socrates. The modern philosopher, subjects: Internet and Technology. haha, I hardly remember a time without internet, probably not old enough. But, when I was a really young kid I remember having some Macintosh and dial-up, super slow, hehe.

 

[Jim Brennan]

Before the internet (a large chunk of my life. I too learned BASIC on a TRS-80...about 30 years ago) I spent most of my 'down time' reading, or playing music.

If the internet has had one catch for me is that it can really suck away your time if you aren't disciplined. I can definitely say that I used to 'get more done', although one can argue that I am still getting things done, but they are just different things.

But I definitely spend less time reading books. And although I find great stuff to read online, books are more of an investment. You have to commit to them in a way that you don't with an on-line article. Plus, to paraphrase Rupert Giles' comments to Jenny Calendar, computers don't smell, books do. They smell like something tangible, like the earth. That's why I love books.

During a Q and A I was once asked where I went to film school. I responded, "Goya, G.T.L." and when they asked what that was, I said "Get Off Your Ass and Get To The Library" I still go to the library fairly often, but now there are as many people there online in chatrooms or checking e-mail or facebook as there are people reading. And shelf space reserved for books has been taken over by the latest DVD releases. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just different. The library was for me in my younger days what the internet is now: A gatekeeper and repository of information.

 

[Jordan_S]

The library was for me in my younger days what the internet is now: A gatekeeper and repository of information.

This is true for me as well. I did not send an email until it was a required assignment of a university science course. That led me to newsgroups.

Regarding the tangibility of books, there are a lot of people who feel this way. Others, not so much; I once observed a guy exiting a bathroom stall with his (still open) notebook.

 

[Tim Joy]

When I first got DSL after having Dial-up, I thought, "Gee! now my internet time will be cut drastically because everything will be so much faster!"

NOT. The faster the connection, the more time you end up spending on it, because it opens up a whole new world of streaming content.

 

[Chamber005]

Yeah, to me the internet is what my dad used to always make me do with that big hunkin dictionary. "Why don't you look it up, son."

Ack!

Nah, but I was in my prime internet years (14ish?) when AOL 2.0 came out. I think I stayed inside for an entire year. Suddenly masses of people who read comic books and watched the same shows I did, wanted to talk about something other than getting drunk, banging chicks and general gang drama?

Now things are more forum/blog based. But back then it was chat rooms all the way. And from there I met like 12 super cool cats across the globe and we started an e-mail chain that lasted for years. Pretty awesome.

I'd say 80% of my time online is spent with information gathering, though. I'm so much smarter now than I ever would have been had I not had the internet at my disposal for the last 15 or so years. IMO most self teaching books (not unlike the entire experience of college) give you 10% real information and about 90% filler. With the internet you cut right to the chase. Need to know it? There it is.

As for "what did we do before the internet" for entertainment purposes, man, VIDEO GAMES. I think the bigger question is what did people do before video games and computers!

At least now with the PS3, Xbox Live and more live communication on WOW and other games there's some social interaction happening -- thanks to the internet.

For two weeks out of every year I go with my girl to Delaware to visit her folks. I'm on the internet for a total of about 15 minutes the entire trip. Don't have my DVDs and Blu-rays, no HD television or Xbox. What do I do? I write for probably 6 hours a day. I read Ultimate Spiderman hardcovers. I go for walks in the nearby woods. It is probably the happiest I am all year because it's the couple of weeks that I'm not evaluating, processing and gathering information, which is how I spend almost all of my time most every day.

I think the internet, for me, is exausting. There's always another thing I want to know, another bit of learning that can be nabbed up. I can't imagine a day without a question, except for during those couple of weeks when I know I don't have the "answer machine" available to me.

Younger generations (those born in the 90s and beyond) will probably have a better time of it, feeling like the information has always been there, that they've never had to work for it. For us kids of the baby boomers, though, and especially those who are overly inquisitive, the internet is an almost addictive force.

 

[Jim Brennan]

I can completely relate to that. Wikipedia and Google are my second and third favorite shortcuts.

But information is not the same thing as knowledge. Knowledge has context. And certainly never confuse information with wisdom.

But we spend a week every year in the Rockies at a therapy camp for my son. No internet, no TV. But last year there was WiFi in the main lodge, which helped so I could keep track of a few work things on and off during the week. But last year our cabin had both satellite TV and Wifi. We turned the TV on the first night, and never again. But the Wifi nearly killed me. I did not realize that I was longer for an excuse to be disconnected for a while. It is very therapeutic.

We won't get that cabin again. Modern technology ruined what is typically the best week of the year.

 

[patssle]

I'm 24, been on computers since I was 7. Grew up on them, learned everything I know on them, the Internet was my best friend when I was in high school...because even knowing how to use a computer back then was totally not cool, nevermind being a complete geek.

Twice this year I've gone on 16 day and 8 day driving vacations - no laptop, cell phone off 95% of the time, only access to Gmail and Facebook - read only - no sending - once per day.

It is absolutely great to be away from everything. No politics, news, economy crap - you don't care about ANYTHING. Completely disconnected from the world except wherever I am at the moment.

It's a good feeling

 

[Nektonic]

I have a love/hate relationship with the internet. For starters, I love coming here and talking with all the great DVXUSER's out there. This place is a truly great spot to drop in and spend some time in, both for education and just for fun too.

Besides the few blogs and sites I follow regularly, and of course valuable data troves like Wikipedia, I tend to look at the internet as a bunch of shite really. I mean there is so much crap out there, kinda like TV.

I'm, also getting sick of constantly hearing about facebook, twitter, and myspace. Besides their uses in promoting our film or creative work, I don't really see the need for it. I guess I'm old fashioned that way.