Before the Internet (2017) • Hacker News Board

Re: Before the Internet (2017)

#31

Post by agumonkey » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 11:32 AM UTC

asark wrote: post #20

agumonkey wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how book search systems were used, surely large library indexes existed but how efficient and how often they'd be used.. In a way, book searching is probably the only cool thing about internet IMO. The rest was already nice enough as it was. You don't need ultra high bandwidth and ultra low latency to find a VHS for a night with friends... it won't make the memories better.

Without the Internet: between rentals, purchases, and the library, more than enough media to keep me 100% happy and occupied my entire life for very little money. With the Internet: Same but now I have way more than I need rather than just more than I need, to the point that picking something to enjoy is kinda hard because there's so much and it's all about equally hard to get—i.e. not hard—all the time. Total expens…

paradox of choice

Re: Before the Internet (2017)

#32

Post by agumonkey » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 12:02 PM UTC

mirimir wrote: post #18

agumonkey wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I struggle to remember precisely how we did .. I know we did.. I know it involved theater programs and phoning .. but the concrete memory is gone as if it was fantasy

There were these things called newspapers. They ran theater ads, at least a week in advance.

in my area we used to buy an aggregate journal of all theater programs, crazy to think how early on things were planned

Re: Before the Internet (2017)

#33

Post by HocusLocus » Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 7:01 PM UTC

And there would be no way to look it up, no way to prove who was right, except if someone had a little booklet. “Anyone got a little booklet?” you’d ask, looking around. “Is there a booklet on this shit?”

Wow! I actually had 'the booklet' when I was a kid. Carried it around with me. If you want to brighten a youngster's day, get it,

https://www.amazon.com/Rocks-Minerals-Golden-Nature-Guides/d...