At 11 years old, somewhere in my papers, I wrote about that concept. I had just gotten my first computer (1983), and saw this thing in the radio shack catalog that let people type to their computers over the phone lines. I wanted it. I imagined typing to people all over the world. Then I saw a “Pocket computer” – and wanted to put ALL THAT in my pocket and talk to strangers like I did on the CB Radio.
In 1988, I got my first “real computer” and got online to PC-Link, the precursor to AOL. 1/2 my dream ALREADY came true and I was only 16.
Purchased a series of pocket computers through the 90s, ALMOST NAILED IT with the Handspring Visor (palm pilot clone)… and then BAM! SMARPHONES!
This is what 11 yr old me saw in 1983. Using something a lot like it now.. just with broadband instead of phone, screen instead of paper. Same otherwise.
This is what 11 yr old me saw in 1983. Using something a lot like it now.. just with broadband instead of phone, screen instead of paper. Same otherwise.
Yeah, they only sold that model for a couple of years. I had a $129 Tandy Color Computer 2 – hooked up to my TV. 16K (or maybe 64K?) of memory. Wrote everything in BASIC.
But then I found BBS’s and over the last 27 yrs, I’ve probably encountered every possible personality type in every possible discussion topic _possible_.. .and yet, I STILL keep finding more and more interesting things to discover. It’s probably why I never properly grew up; I’m still that 11 yr old kid going, “omg wow omg wow, look that thing I dreamed about here it is”… and can’t wait to see future discoveries. There’s a LOT of other things I expect to see in the future that arent’ here yet, and it’s annoying to keep waiting tongue emoticon