There was a time when the internet was a lot like Disneyland
It was a fun place that you would go to,
you couldn't stay there all the time,
but you could go there.
And if you wanted to visit this magical land,
you would literally have to plug your phone into your computer.
And then you had to endure the predecessor to dubstep.
*Making Dial Up Sounds*
And then you're on.
[Upbeat guitar plays]
In 1994, I started working for MTV and MTV had a deal with America Online.
Everybody connected to the internet through AOL
it was all you had.
My first screen name was
Craptastic@aol
TeyMoney17
akane2299
NeonPenguin5000
Back then, you know, computers weren't compact
They were in the living room, you only had one.
You never had any privacy with that computer,
I mean, whatever you did, everybody saw.
Pretty much had to readjust my sleep schedule just so I can find the right time to get on the computer.
I would wait till everyone was sleeping.
I would sit in our finished basement in Michigan
and I would hop on chat.
A/S/L? 16/F/California
And I would literally stalk other people's conversations
and when they would start arguing with each other, I would, like, throw in little comments
like, "Oh no, I think so and so is right."
O.S.: So you were a troll?
I was a troll! I was a...
I was a troll.
*Laughing*
Oh my god!
I've never thought of that before until just now!
My mom, she was always working,
so, like, there was no dad around to kind of show me the birds and the bees
the internet was kind of like my first exposure to that.
it was more intimate and all of your actions were more one on one.
I miss those days.
I mean, those were the days!
Compared to what we have now, it just seems primitive and strange and weird.
Everything was made out of words and letters...
Even the nudity.
It meant a lot more to get on the internet back in the day.
You didn't have as much to pick through and the good stuff was just there.
It was a luxury. It was something that, you know, was very special.
Whatever happens happens. What are these crazy new things I'm running into.
It was a different time
and, uh, you're lucky to have missed all of it.