The publishers of “The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction” have reached out to their readers and followers with a question they received. Their message reads as follows:
"A long-time reader asks: ‘Do you recall a story published in F&SF that was about a man who travels to the 1980s via a website or maybe it was an app? I would like to re-read it and can’t seem to recall what it was called or when it was published. Does this sound familiar? It could have been several years ago.’
The story doesn’t strike a bell for us which means we’ve forgotten or maybe it was published elsewhere. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks."
I immediately thought that the patrons of Uncle Cecil might know the answer.
Is there a link to this request (how did F&SF reach out?). As it is this id question is a little too vague (at least, it rings no bell for me) - but at the site, there might be more details (or more details might be added).
“Forty, Counting Down,” by Harry Turtledove in the Dec. 1999 Asimov’s had someone from a remarkably accurate 2018 using an app to go to 1999 to see himself. There was a matched story from the point of view of his younger self in that month’s Analog. Not quite the same, but the only time travel story I’m aware of using a program. I’m way, way behind on my F&SFs, though I’d figure they’d know if it was in there.