I am wondering what did all those lonely people, the ones that sit in front of their computer all day at home, do before the internet. I can guess that it must of been hard for them, no sense of community and society looking down on you the whole time. Society still looks down on us, but I wonder what it would of been like for me if I did not have the internet.
I’d assume the less interactive television screen was the focus of attention for many internet junkies today. Before I had the internet I read more books than I do now, though I still try and keep up with some form of recreational non-electronic reading.
There’s also board games, card games, non-internet computer games, video games…
I read. Constantly. To be honest, that’s still what I do online, mostly. I go to different websites, and read them.
Of course, I was still in single digits at the time of Prodigy/AOL becoming household names, so I might not be the best person to ask.
The television was my friend. It still is, but moreso for noise than anything else since I seem to be permanently attached to this seat in front of my computer 
I was never a “go out” kind of person. Before the Internet, I spent vast amounts of time sitting in my room playing my guitar, or my bass, and singing and learning to play all sorts of new songs. I read voraciously, too.
I was happier before I found the internet. It’s more frustration than it need be.
And I used to read a whole lot more.
C’mon it’s not like all the DOPERS do is get on the internet and watch the message board for movement, I know your not saying that but it is kind of implied.
We all have friends and a real social life.
Before the internet and TV, I would guess that Board Games would have been fun.
It is only implied to people who are really trying to avoid the stigma of being labeled a nerd because they post on a message board. Don’t worry about it, everyone knows you are cool.
I know you did not say that, but it is implied.
BTW, I was only talking about me.
Yes, they did. There was this thing called a television which people sat in front of.
I stayed indoors reading a lot before we had the 'net. I don’t recall being looked down on. I do remember writing more letters. Email’s wonderful.
I stayed indoors a lot, after I became a teenager. When I was a child, I did a lot of bike-riding and such, but once I started developing, well, D cup breasts WILL bounce no matter what sort of bra is attempting to contain them. As I was a very shy teen, I hated the way I bounced. I had always been a bookworm, to the extent that the school and public libraries knew me and allowed me to check out more books than the official limit for kids, and so I withdrew further into books. I also enjoyed playing board and card games, when I could find someone who’d play me, and I played a lot of solitaire. If Dungeons&Dragons had been around when I was a kid, there’s a good chance that I’d have started playing it. I did a lot of artsy-craftsy things too…I taught myself how to knit, crochet, tat, and embroider, and improved my sewing machine skills. I made tack for my toy horses (I didn’t play with dolls much at all, but I did love my toy horses) from brown paper bags and wire.
Mind you, I’d have spent a lot of time on the internet and/or with video games if they’d been available when I was a kid. But the video games didn’t come out until a bit after I was married, I believe. I did spend a lot of time and quarters on pinball.