[vcf-midatlantic] First access to real internet Re: Your First Modem? (was: Help me remember my first modem)

[David Gesswein]

On Wed, Dec 29, 2021 at 12:43:24PM -0500, Christian Liendo via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> Does anyone remember their first access to real internet?
> 

Probably some scope creep in this reply but you're probably used to that
from me. (Spelling and grammar is right because my wife looked at it)

I remember internet more than modem. For modem we probably had a 1200 baud
internal in our PC. Used it to check library catalog and some other
unremembered stuff but wasn't into BBS or other services.

First internet was college in the 82-86 time frame. Can't remember if it
was Freshman or later that I had access to the right systems. Had Usenet, FTP 
and email access. The fun of strange email syntax to get to less well connected
sites and BITNET gateways to IBM world. Lost access when graduated. Had a 
project a little later at work that I used to convinced management that I 
needed internet access for. Got dedicated dialup with a 9600 baud modem. Main
use was USENET news feed, email, and FTP.  May have been UUNET. Later was 
PSINET. I think start was around start of commercial use OK though we were a 
defense contractor so not sure which way we got access.  Put a second modem 
on the machine and then could dial in from home and use it for personal stuff.
Think I used the VT52 that I got with my PDP-8 stuff to start with since I 
didn't have a modern computer initially at my house.  Later used my now 
wife's 3B1 with external 2400 baud modem.  

Played a little with gopher when it came out but not that much later
web appeared and I built Mosaic from source.  Later we bought a copy of 
Netscape. Initially the project used Sun VME card then moved on to HP.

Remember the lack of security such as being able to telnet into machines
at a company we were working with. Also taking screen shot of a users X 
screen at another location who didn't believe when I said they had things
too open.

Slowly more of the company started using the internet through 
the engineering machine. Modem got upgraded in speed when available but single
modem was the entire company's internet access. At some point IT took it over.

At some point got internet access at home and stopped using work for personal
stuff. Went through dialup (PPP), DSL, cable modem, and FIOS.