Why isn't the internet more fun and weird?

Re:Why isn't the internet more fun and weird? by DanBC on Thursday January 31, 2019 @02:15PM (#19047778)

The US had a mix of BBSs and online services. In the US local calls were sometimes free, which meant the BBS community was vibrant.

But the online services were really freaking pricey.

Here's a price list of online services from the 80s.

Compuserve was $11 an hour.

https://imgur.com/a/zdoZj

http://i53.tinypic.com/2janfrd.jpg

http://www.wholeearth.com/issue-electronic-edition.php?iss=1...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why isn't the internet more fun and weird? by Baeocystin on Thursday January 31, 2019 @03:00PM (#19048203)

Oh, yeah, if local calls weren't free, BBS's would have never taken off the way they did. It was a thrill being part of a network where each BBS would make a nightly call to the furthest still-local BBS, which would then repeat the process... You could reach all the way across the country and back in a few days, for free! It felt like you were getting away with something. Exciting times.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why isn't the internet more fun and weird? by DanBC on Thursday January 31, 2019 @03:52PM (#19048723)

Yes! Using things like Bluewave offline email reader was amazing.

[ Parent | on HN ]