221
submitted 1 year ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

The ‘90s Internet: When 20 hours online triggered an email from my ISP’s president::1998 plea for restraint reveals a lost world where the 'Net was an opt-in experience.

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[-] Borgzilla@lemmy.ca 44 points 1 year ago

Anyone remember download accelerator plus? I'd download stuff at night while everyone was asleep, then pause DAP/disconnect from the Internet in the morning. Rinse and repeat.

[-] Fartbutt@lemmy.world 21 points 1 year ago

My god yes! I remember downloading the Soldier of Fortune demo over the course of a month. 95 megabytes over a 28.8k connection.

[-] cheezoid2@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 year ago

GetRight was a godsend too

[-] brsrklf@compuverse.uk 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You've unlocked some deeply buried memory there.

I remember I used that not so much to "accelerate" downloads but mostly because it let me download stuff in multiple sessions, instead of trying to do it in my browser and lose everything because of a lost connection.

Hours to download a few MB, interesting times.

[-] TheHighRoad@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

I remember the anxiety of downloading the Quake demo the afternoon it was released. My mother is a notorious phone talker, so I guarded the handset like a hawk and prayed to God that no one called. By some miracle it completed after a an hour or two. 1.1 mb I believe it was.

[-] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 3 points 1 year ago

I remember that but never knowing what the hell it even did lol.

[-] FartsWithAnAccent@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago

ISPs: Lying about unlimited since the 90s.

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 27 points 1 year ago

20 hours.... ..... ........what were you doing?!

[-] FartsWithAnAccent@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago

Downloading a short video?

[-] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago

Downloading Linux

[-] RagingNerdoholic@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago
[-] bobs_monkey@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago

...pixel line...
...pixel line...
...pixe- nipple!!!

[-] evatronic@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

Interlaced GIF was a godsend. You got the low res naughty bits early.

[-] TheYear2525@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

And by the time it’s done downloading in its full 320x180 glory, you’re ready to go again!

[-] GordonFremen@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 year ago

Didn't RTA.

[-] Blamemeta@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Some sort of game, idling for gold.

[-] RobotToaster@infosec.pub 11 points 1 year ago
[-] bionicjoey@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 year ago

But you can check out any time you like

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this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2023
221 points (97.8% liked)

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