# Do People Still Say 'Surf the 'Net' ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 3, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315 "2017-03-03T17:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/1 "2017-03-03T17:33:37Z")
Is this phrase antiquated or dumb, or is it still in use? Someone asked me what I do in the morning and I say I often 'surf the ‘net’. I don’t know what else to call it. Do I sound like an old dork? ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/2 "2017-03-03T17:35:45Z")
I can only say that when I used the phrase to my wife about 6 months ago she reacted as if I was talking about driving to work in a Model T. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/3 "2017-03-03T17:39:43Z")
I think the kids today say “Cruising the information superhighway.” ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/4 "2017-03-03T17:41:15Z")
I still say it… but mostly for comic effect. It’s a bit anachronistic I think. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/5 "2017-03-03T17:42:39Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > I can only say that when I used the phrase to my wife about 6 months ago she reacted as if I was talking about driving to work in a Model T. That would actually be rather awesome. Driving to work in a Yugo… ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/6 "2017-03-03T17:44:30Z")
I still type in “www” when I’m looking for a website. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/7 "2017-03-03T17:45:28Z")
The default state is now to be online. You really need to warn your friends and colleagues if there may be an interruption, as in: “I may be offline for a couple of hours next Tuesday afternoon for heart bypass surgery.” ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/8 "2017-03-03T17:48:34Z")
If I sound like an old dork when I say it, it’s because I am. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/9 "2017-03-03T18:09:59Z")
I prefer “going wiki-wandering”, but whatever floats your boat. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/10 "2017-03-03T18:16:16Z")
If there is nothing interesting playing on the wireless and no new offerings at the picture show, I can usually be found surfing the net. Actually I still say it routinely. I didn’t know it was considered outdated. And I work in the IT field. Also I am old. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/11 "2017-03-03T18:24:10Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2rEuie5lpGA/maxresdefault.jpg "JUST SURF THE NET") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rEuie5lpGA) (Safe for work, although the Millennials might not understand some of it.) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/12 "2017-03-03T18:25:10Z")
To really boost your geezer cred you need to state that you are surfing “the world wide web”. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/13 "2017-03-03T18:26:00Z")
I’m considering cranking up the horseless carriage to go to the general store for victuals. And perhaps firing off a Marconi-gram. As soon as I’m done surfing the intertubes. Some just call it procrastinating. I used to play ‘just one more game’ of Bubble Shooter when I had some onerous task. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/14 "2017-03-03T18:28:37Z")
If not, I’m going to work it into conversations as much as I can. That would be totally groovy. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/15 "2017-03-03T18:32:20Z")
Come to think of it, a lot of the time I just say “I’m reading” or “checking the news” or something like that. I do still say “surfing the net” unironically. But I don’t do that much idle surfing anymore. I usually get online to read something specific. So if someone asks me what I’m doing, I often answer in the specific instead of just “surfing”. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/16 "2017-03-03T18:58:53Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Come to think of it, a lot of the time I just say “I’m reading” or “checking the news” or something like that. I do still say “surfing the net” unironically. But I don’t do that much idle surfing anymore. I usually get online to read something specific. So if someone asks me what I’m doing, I often answer in the specific instead of just “surfing”. That’s a good answer, I am usually checking Facebook or reading my usual daily list of interests. So that’s what I’ll say. (Just meandering around seeing what pops up was what I did years ago.) ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/17 "2017-03-03T19:00:46Z")
Only the cool people. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/18 "2017-03-03T19:24:02Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Is this phrase antiquated or dumb, or is it still in use? It’s perfectly cromulent. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/19 "2017-03-03T19:28:56Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I think the kids today say “Cruising the information superhighway.” I was growing up (grade school and high school) just as this was all getting huge, even then only teachers said that. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315/20 "2017-03-03T19:31:17Z")
Personally I say “I am monitoring the internet for subversive content.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-still-say-surf-the-net/781315.md?page=2)