Who on Anandtech can **PROVE** They were on the internet first?

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Ok guys, how's this:

pic1
pic2
pic3

WOW.
"You will connect at 2400. 9600 is available for an additional fee."
Just WOW.
And we all thought that was a super deal.

 

[PCHPlayer]

OK I read every post and I have you all beat. In late 1982 I sent my first internet e-mail to my ex-girlfriend. I was working at TRW in CA at the time and she was going to school at RIT (Rochester, NY). I had to route the message through the internet myself using the "!" addressing scheme. It was something like trwgateway!uscd!...!rit!girlfriend

 

[SgtBuddy]

Summer 1996 for me. Friend had a AOL free trial. Chat rooms were hillarious. He mentioned he used a little company called Earthlink back in California. They had it in Oklahoma, so I signed up.

I did have a 14,000 modem and logged into a few BBSs back in the old days tho.

 

[JonathanYoung]

April 3rd, 1994

Holy crap, found another one:

May 9th, 1993

I never knew you could search for such old messages... kinda freaky yet kinda cool. Brings back memories. Thanks OP!

 

[Michael]

What drive me crazy is that I can find posts in 1991, but the ones from Google come up when my friend Derek was sharing my account:

1991

Lots of posts in 1993 where I was selling old D&D stuff and old Apple games that were definately from me. Search under the same email address as the one where Derek was using my account and you'll see it is me.

I used to be a Mod in the Apple ][ section on GEnie and was active on Usenet before 1990 via an Apple BBS that could connect to Usenet but I cannot remember what name I used back then. Drives me crazy. I know the email address was a set of numbers (assigned by the BBS), but I can't remember what I signed off as.

I was using the Internet well before the web. Archie, Veronica and Gopher where the hot, user friendly tools back then.

Michael

 

[breweyez]

i cant offer proof....i would have to guess around 86

compuserve terminal window using a mac 512

 

[Mucho]

Originally posted by: flyingboujanero
I still have my Intel external modem, a screaming 14.4, bigger than a book... Was back on bulletin boards, and then the start of the interweb.

Yea I also have my 14.4 external modem and the great memories of the BBSs.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Skyclad1uhm1

'Powerful' was more a matter of knowledge, reputation and luck combined than anything else A bit of skill helped, but wasn't needed if you had enough knowledge.

Edit: Cause of all the memories I logged on again on NannyMUD, my wizard (Bally) and most important second char (Ysidro) still exist

Hm... either I can't remember my old login, or my character is gone.

Most of my characters are gone too. I think they don't remove wizards, and leave alone a few 'special' normal players. The arches prevented Ysidro from getting trashed most likely

They do have old backups tough, on request some characters can be restored.

 

[shilala]

I invented the internet.

 

[Tom]

I started with BBs's and Genie, back in 1989.

I can't remember all my old usernames, but here is an ad I posted on Usenet in 1998.

Pentium 75.......................................................$40
2 72-pin 8 meg edo simms(16 megs total).........$40
2 72-pin 4 meg simms(8 megs total).................$20
127mb IDE Hard Drive.....................................$45

link

 

[Sepen]

I was using BBS'es back in 87. Had myself a high powered Tandy with an 8086(?) processor. I paid like $200 plus just for the 5.25" floppy drive.

 

[PCHPlayer]

Originally posted by: shilala
I invented the internet.

Is that you Al?

 

[Michael]

I graduated from university in 1987, and I know I was on the internet then via Vaxen. I don't think I actually posted anything from the account, though. I certainly was on BBSes as early as when I was finishing HS, around 1982. I think it is more likely that it was around 1984 when I was in CEGEP. I actually wrote a couple of online games in an upgraded version of Applesoft Basic and modified a couple of existing text adventure games as well.

Like my post above shows, the earliest I can find my ID is 1991, but it was when my friend Derek (who shared my account) was logged on.

My early involvement with being a mod in different communities (and running my own BBS) while being a teenager and into my 20's is why I generally support the mods here and why I'm not interested in doing it anymore.

Michael

 

[jonnyGURU]

Hmm... I have to admit that the oldest I can Google me is 2/17/1998. That's looking for jonnyGURU, though. I used several other handles over the years... but to be honest, I didn't even HAVE internet access until 1994. Before that, I had that "so-called" Internet that CompuServe and Prodigy provided, and before that I got my online fix downloading G-Files and pr0n and talking on message boards that I found in the back of Computer Shopper with my 300 baud modem. That activity actually went back to about 1982. Can I "prove" it? No. Who can?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU
Hmm... I have to admit that the oldest I can Google me is 2/17/1998. That's looking for jonnyGURU, though. I used several other handles over the years... but to be honest, I didn't even HAVE internet access until 1994. Before that, I had that "so-called" Internet that CompuServe and Prodigy provided, and before that I got my online fix downloading G-Files and pr0n and talking on message boards that I found in the back of Computer Shopper with my 300 baud modem. That activity actually went back to about 1982. Can I "prove" it? No. Who can?

my old sigs showed online since 1983....however 1994 is about as far back as you can search....

one of those:

/------------------temp email:Sig...@shadow.net -----------------------------\
| Chris Feeny <Alkemyst> : online : Computer Equipment Vendor soon |
| 87-89 300ZX Turbo Fan : since 83 : Computer & Internet Specialist |
| Home Theatre Enthusiast : lutz,qsd : PS/2 Expert-PS/2 FAQ Maintainer |
| [Rotel-Def Tech-Marantz-Mits] -==(UDIC)==- [PS/2 80-DX2/50-500MB-8MB-SVGA] |
\-----------------------------­- 407-753-6162 ------------------------------­--/


This is an interesting one historically

PS/2 FAQ on hold for a bit
Only 1 message in topic - view as tree
Alkemyst Mar 13 1995, 10:46 pm show options

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware
From: Alkem...@grove.ufl.edu (Alkemyst) - Find messages by this author
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 95 06:32:29 GMT
Local: Mon, Mar 13 1995 10:32 pm
Subject: PS/2 FAQ on hold for a bit
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

Well I will have to hold off on updating the FAQ this month as my wife was in
an automobile accident and I will be spending time looking for a new car for
her and preparing for her possible surgery in May. She is doing ok now, but
apparently has a broken neck...


Sorry for any inconvience, I may repost the last FAQ.


Chris


_________________________ alkem...@grove.ufl.edu _________________________
\________Chris Feeny PS/2 Model 80-A21 ________/
\________ Corvette ZR-1/Car Audio Fan Cyrix Cx486DRx2-50________/
\________ PS/2 FAQ Maintainer Cx83D87/8MB RAM/525MB ________/
\________ Alkemyst Dragon -==(UDIC)==- 14.4/SVGA/SCSI2 ________/
\________________________ 904-375-7852 ________________________/
1995: Last year of the ZR-1

sales due to above included a Marin Bear Valley SE mountain bike, stereo gear, etc
Alkemyst Mar 14 1995, 4:21 pm show options

Newsgroups: misc.forsale.computers.pc-specific.software
From: Alkem...@grove.ufl.edu (Alkemyst) - Find messages by this author
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 95 00:21:05 GMT
Local: Tues, Mar 14 1995 4:21 pm
Subject: For Sale: WordPerfect 5.1 and Lotus 123r2.4
Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

WordPerfect 5.1 (last 286/386 DOS WordPerfect). Like New condition in
box with 4.2 and 5.1 licenses, not pirated. All disks in perfect
condition and all manuals as well.


Lotus 123r2.4 as above, can work on 286's. In box with all manuals and
disks.


Asking $75 each or $125 for the set OBO.


Chris
Gainesville, Florida area


going back further

Around the crash of AT&T in 1990, they were looking for problem sectors...coming home from school with your parents and AT&T and the FBI sitting at your dinner table is not a good thing. Anyways I attached a typical link based on MOD's inaccurate/delusional book : http://www.totse.com/en/hack/legalities_of_hacking/dibbel.html

Phiber Optik's deal was he was on 60 minutes, That's Incredible, echo.com, hosted a radio show with the creator of the 2600 mag, and the like....a visible hacker. MOD was a group formed by Corrupt who defected from the 8LGM (8 legged Groove Machine consisting of 4 members, hense 8 legs....power (a chick usually found drinking at a payphone while chatting ... via phone bridge which was the way it went down a lot...then also on lutz, a unix chat forum), Gandalf, Pad O'Noi, and Corrupt). He was the only american in 8LGM. He was sort of an a$$, along with their other members (the editor of Gray Area Magazine suffered from daily mailbox raids where Wing tore up her mail)....the sad part was the way this all went down during a phone bridge thinking Corrupt was SN (superni**er, a popular and funny guy at the time) who was a local on the chat. Needless to say when all was said and done this group of 5 set out to screw with everyone in that chat. Erik Bloodaxe and others (including myself) had various visitors harassing us, police, at&t, local bell, fbi, etc. A few months later it was decided to go back to the feds and turn MOD in even though it was a silent rule you handle it within the group...it went too far, some of the guys had older parents that had actual attacks having shotguns brought into their homes seeking their sons. MOD's members at the time (Phiber joined during this war) were Julio Fernandez / Outlaw from the Bronx, John Lee / Corrupt from Brooklyn, Mark Abene / Phiber Optik from Queens, Elias Ladopoulos / Acid Phreak from Queens and Paul Stira / Scorpion from Queens....the feds waited until Outlaw/Wing/Brest Tumor/Brokin Leg/etc turned 18....his as$ and their's were the feds....the rest of the group were in thier 20's.

Phiber got fvked due to his stance on freedom of info and that corporate america was bad. Same way that goes today....ye olde money rules all.

All this went on throughout the late 80's until it consumated in something like Prohibition. At the time and I think still, 'hackers' were considered the top criminal, able to hide their tracks and flee...you got served at dawn via a swat team breaking into your [parent's] home with M16's and shotguns.

Other 'names' of the day should someone want to search things are Cap'n Crunch (due to the famous 2600Hz phone tone whistle toy in the cerial), Captain Zap (the movie Sneakers is based on him), Fry Guy, Dark Dante (yes the same), Darque Side, Shadow Brotherhood, High Mountain Hackers, Hacker Alliance, Kaos Inc, SRI International, LOD: Doc Holliday, The Prophet, The Leftist, The Urvile, Eric Bloodaxe, Malefactor/Mentor/Jack the Ripper, Lex Luther, etc; Rogue Leader, Hank the Hacker, The Condor/ShadowHawk (Mitnick), Australian Internet, Nihilist Order: Highwayman, Sinbad, TRASk.... some of these guys were able to become the top caller in radio / tv game shows and other things winning over millions in prizes....of course Richard Stallman checked in time to time. He is probably the first on the internet...purportly on a computer in 1969 and proceeded to change the way they were used. If you don't know who this is, he created GNU (just like PINE = Pine is not ELM, GNU = GNU is not Unix )...

At the time Phone CO's were usually unmanned and not really that secure. In the 1980's and early 90's a typical 'hack' albeit misguided was ordering computers and tires overnighted via stolen credit cards. At the time (I never did this) lot's of kids were bringing in thousands a month.

Then you had the HackCONs of the time with a guy in a wheelchair who was blind and an narc called TRAXTER (sp).....

Another interesting tidbit was during this time Citibank swore to never ever do online banking again after a couple teenagers stole hundreds of thousands from them.

 

[Evadman]

BBS that I started in '91. Linky. Passed it off a few years later to someone else who renamed it and added a bunch of lines.

 

[Biafra]

Oldest thing I could google was a usenet post about cdrom drivers from february 1996. Usenet doesn't prove anythin gother than having acess to a BBS with newsgroups or AOL. I got my shell account in april 1994, I was upgraded to PPP w static IP and a subnet that summer. No quota and I still haven't paid for it. My parents use it for dialup now. I think the first time I called a BBS was 1987, I am 24 now.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Biafra
Oldest thing I could google was a usenet post about cdrom drivers from february 1996. Usenet doesn't prove anythin gother than having acess to a BBS with newsgroups or AOL. I got my shell account in april 1994, I was upgraded to PPP w static IP and a subnet that summer. No quota and I still haven't paid for it. My parents use it for dialup now. I think the first time I called a BBS was 1987, I am 24 now.

at 7 years old you dialed up a BBS? it's possible yes..what were you looking for though?

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Biafra
Oldest thing I could google was a usenet post about cdrom drivers from february 1996. Usenet doesn't prove anythin gother than having acess to a BBS with newsgroups or AOL. I got my shell account in april 1994, I was upgraded to PPP w static IP and a subnet that summer. No quota and I still haven't paid for it. My parents use it for dialup now. I think the first time I called a BBS was 1987, I am 24 now.

at 7 years old you dialed up a BBS? it's possible yes..what were you looking for though?

at 11 I was running one.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: hevnsnt
Ok all.. Lets see who really pwns anandtech..

Find your oldest PROOF that you were on the internet and post it here..

Oct 26th 1996
I know I can do better though..

I was buying and selling basketball cards in 1993 through newgroups.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Biafra
Oldest thing I could google was a usenet post about cdrom drivers from february 1996. Usenet doesn't prove anythin gother than having acess to a BBS with newsgroups or AOL. I got my shell account in april 1994, I was upgraded to PPP w static IP and a subnet that summer. No quota and I still haven't paid for it. My parents use it for dialup now. I think the first time I called a BBS was 1987, I am 24 now.

at 7 years old you dialed up a BBS? it's possible yes..what were you looking for though?

at 11 I was running one.

at 11 I didn't ask...by 1983 at 12 I was on tchh/lutz/altgiers/qsd through telnet x.25 and the like, prior to that I was on apple's but not at so much a intelligent level.

My question was what was a 7 year old doing on a BBS? Reading G-files? BBS's required a certain level of skill to navigate then unlike the kid-easy point and click web.

 

[rdegler]

I started on line in 1971 in a HS computer class using a teletype. We were given 2 hours a month of time to do basic programing. One of the student's father was a programer or computer guy for several Philadelphia banks. We used to log in the banks computers to get more time. Passwords were usually 5 letters all caps (everything was) and typically the users name. Now I think of all the money I could have stolen!!!!!

Our favorite place to log on to was Drexel university in Philly. They had wampus and a battle ship like game. The OS had scripts to respond to cuss words. We enjoyed seeing how many cuss words the OS would respond to. Everything was printed on paper and we stored files on rolls of paper with holes punched in them.

My next online was using GEO-Link from some guy named Steve Case on my C-64 with a free 300 baud modem. It had a graphical user interface and later tuned into AOL. After than it was Bulletin Boards. Email might take a few days to travel from house to house and then back again.


Used the real internet (not BBS or services) around 90-91 I was teaching C programing at Dona Ana Branch Community College. I posted my syllabus, assignments and course notes in 1992. I thought it would save paper. But the students would print everthing out each class session. They did not believe the site would be there all the time and accessable.

Sure miss those good old days of watching one letter at a time appear on the screen. I think I still have the 300 baud modem and some old C-64 game carts. in storage.

 

[LarryS]

3/21/1994 Proof (Internet)

Was on BBSes long before that.. like 1987 or so.

 

[rubix]

earliest i could find was a newsgroup post i made in sept 1996 under my old name "nerd314". it's my response to someone wanting a free aol account:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt...b906901a892?q=nerd314#cb1d2b906901a892

remember those anon.penet.fi email accounts? those were the days.

 

[Zim Hosein]

EWarliest I could find was Apr 2, 1996, but I know I was using on-line BBS's before then