# What Did You Do With Your Time Before the Internet Came Along & SDMB?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 16, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512 "2000-11-16T20:54:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/1 "2000-11-16T20:54:18Z")
Well, I spent more time with my family, being productive on the job, and video games.
I am so glad the internet came along. Now I can talk & argue with people I have never have and probably never will meet and learn how to type fast.
I have learned how to make little smiley faces and use the “quote thing”.
Well what did ya’ll do with your time before the internet and message boards came along?
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### Author:  [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/2 "2000-11-16T20:57:08Z")
Smoked more pot, of course.
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### Author:  [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/3 "2000-11-16T21:02:18Z")
I first got access in third year university. Before that I spent my free time reading and going to the campus pub.
Oddly enough, the internet never cut into my studying time. But then, I hadn’t discovered the SDMB yet. Going out drinking cut into my studying time!
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### Author:  [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/4 "2000-11-16T21:07:51Z")
Suo Na,
You sound like you are in your early 20s. How could you have a daughter old enough to date? How young did you start girl?
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### Author:  [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/5 "2000-11-16T21:11:33Z")
I’m in my late 20’s and I’ve never said anything about having children. Perhaps you’re thinking of **Sua Sponte**? There’s another Sue [something] running around here too.
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### Author:  [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/6 "2000-11-16T21:16:22Z")
I used to actually get work done when I was at work.
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### Author:  [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/7 "2000-11-16T21:32:46Z")
I just masturbated a lot. Or does this belong in the TMI thread? 😃
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### Author:  [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/8 "2000-11-16T23:43:12Z")
I watched WAY more tv, and spent more time on the phone (read: big long distance bills).
My reading time is intact, and all of my face to face socialization as well.
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### Author:  [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/9 "2000-11-16T23:44:07Z")
Before the Internet caught on?
Well, there WERE such things as local dial-up computer BBSes…
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### Author:  [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2000, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/10 "2000-11-16T23:45:54Z")
I actually read books way back then.
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### Author:  [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/11 "2000-11-17T02:01:18Z")
I spent all my free time on the computer bulletin board systems (BBSes) that predated the web. For example, I spent the better part of a decade arguing with people on FidoNet.
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### Author:  [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/12 "2000-11-17T02:08:01Z")
I don’t recall much before the Internet, since I was working at one of the original sites, a Control Data supercomputer (formerly an ARPANET site, in the 60’s).
However, I do recall what I did before SDMB -
Downloaded tons of software and graphics for my contracting work, and lots of Napster files.
I can see in my file lists when that dropped off and SDMB picked up. Sigh.
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### Author:  [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/13 "2000-11-17T02:25:13Z")
We only got online in the past year or two, and I’ve been grounded and had my priveleges revoked a time or two. When I’m not online I spend even more time practicing guitar. I used to read a lot more, but I think even without internet that would have been cut down a bit, unfortuneately. I also used to spend more time writing and drawing, but I still find time for the writing, at least. My comic strips have eben completely ignored for the last six months. (Yes, I have drawn comic strips of stick figures.)
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/14 "2000-11-17T04:26:39Z")
I used to read. And write. And draw. And watch TV.
Every single one of those things have been reduced by at least half to 3/4.
☹
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### Author:  [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/15 "2000-11-17T04:52:06Z")
I actually read and write _more_ now than I did before (probably has something to do with getting _paid_ to do it), but I do wonder how much more I’d write if I didn’t hang around here so much… 🙂
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/16 "2000-11-17T06:00:37Z")
I used to read. And write. And draw. And watch TV.
Every single one of those things have been reduced by at least half to 3/4.
☹
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### Author:  [@MattTheCroc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattTheCroc)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/17 "2000-11-17T07:47:41Z")
[tentatively]“Before” Internet? I’m not quite sure what you mean…
SDMB started up, for me, about 6 months ago, so I guess I just didn’t use the internet for as long then. But now I think of it I just can’t remember how I got on without cable… I mean, not having people to constantly chat to while doing homework just seems _odd_. Pity it’s not that fast.
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### Author:  [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/18 "2000-11-17T12:28:55Z")
Used time productively. Worked on my car. Studied. Did homework. Went to class. You know, important shit. It’s 6:30. I have class at 10. I haven’t been to bed yet. I’m not fuckin going to class. Screw that.
–Tim
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/19 "2000-11-17T13:20:32Z")
Well i screwed around with computers and BBS’s and the likes for quite a few years but i really ‘got serious’ about the internet when my brother left for the Marines in June of '97. Most of my friends growing up were actually his friends because i didnt like people my own age. so when he left and ‘our’ friends stopped coming around i just kinda holed myself up in here and ive been here ever since. Wait…what the hell were we talking about? Oh yea, before the internet…i did alot of drugs (the internet is _way_ more addictive trust me)
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### Author:  [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2000, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-do-with-your-time-before-the-internet-came-along-sdmb/41512/20 "2000-11-17T14:42:28Z")
I read. Books, books, and more books. Then some magazines; I once subscribed to 11 of them. I’ve cut down the magazine subscriptions, but I still have a lot of books, enough to fill three large bookshelves, one medium, and one small one, and I doubt even half of them are read.
But the thing is, when I’m not reading vampire fiction or sci-fi, I prefer nonfiction. And what better place to read nonfiction than the internet?
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