# Who was the first to do it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 6, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722 "2005-05-06T18:10:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/1 "2005-05-06T18:10:52Z")
I wrote my first computer program in 1968. I’m sure we have a couple old timers around here that can do better than that. I didn’t buy a CD player until about 1995, so I know I’m not going to win that one. What things do you think you did first (before any other Dopers), either on the calendar scale, or relative to your age. I had my first beer when I was 9, I don’t think I’m going to win that one either. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/2 "2005-05-06T18:14:33Z")
Why don’t we also roll in “Who was the LAST to do it?”, that way we don’t have to start another thread, and I just might win by not owning a CD player until 1995. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/3 "2005-05-06T19:48:45Z")
I can beat you on the CD player. I didn’t get one until I got my current car three years ago. I also didn’t get a cell phone until December of 2002. ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/4 "2005-05-06T19:53:42Z")
I think I was probably the last person to purchase a working 8-track player component for my stereo, which I bought in 1989. I was twenty years old I didn’t get a cell phone until March, 2003, at age 33. ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/5 "2005-05-06T19:56:07Z")
I’m getting cable tv installed \*next \* Friday. What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/6 "2005-05-06T20:21:46Z")
Ah ha!!! First cell phone: April 2005. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/7 "2005-05-06T20:50:25Z")
I was the first person I knew to buy a Swatch watch, sometime in 1983. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/8 "2005-05-06T20:59:43Z")
> [@bluethree](#): > > I was the first person I knew to buy a Swatch watch, sometime in 1983. I couldn’t wear pants to school until I was in high school in 1970. I just got a cell phone in April 2005. I still balance my checkbook each month the old fashioned way…using the form on the back. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/9 "2005-05-06T21:09:33Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I still balance my checkbook each month the old fashioned way…using the form on the back. I still cash physical paychecks every week. I don’t trust direct deposit. Didn’t have a DVD player until December 2002, although that’s not so bad. Got my first digital camera last Xmas. Again, not too bad, but still behind the curve. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/10 "2005-05-06T21:14:31Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I still balance my checkbook each month the old fashioned way…using the form on the back. I have been using an online bill payment service since 1999. I never get a bill in the mail. I very rarely need to buy stamps or envelopes. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/11 "2005-05-06T21:42:45Z")
I had an Internet account before there was a WWW. I can’t remember the exact year, maybe 1990? ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/12 "2005-05-06T21:43:25Z")
Does not knowing how to ride a bike count? I never learned as a kid, despite my parents’ best efforts, and I have no intention of learning now, or ever. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/13 "2005-05-06T21:50:40Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > Does not knowing how to ride a bike count? I never learned as a kid, despite my parents’ best efforts, and I have no intention of learning now, or ever. I might have you on this one. How old are you? I’m 41. Also, I’ve yet to have the desire to own a cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/14 "2005-05-06T21:53:30Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > Does not knowing how to ride a bike count? I never learned as a kid, despite my parents’ best efforts, and I have no intention of learning now, or ever. I also have no idea how to ride a bike. I’d like to learn though. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/15 "2005-05-06T21:58:41Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I might have you on this one. How old are you? I’m 41. I’m almost 21, so I guess you win. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/16 "2005-05-06T22:06:33Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > I’m almost 21, so I guess you win. Woo-hoo! …wait a minute… ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/17 "2005-05-06T22:15:48Z")
> [@ccwaterback](#): > > I had an Internet account before there was a WWW. I can’t remember the exact year, maybe 1990? I had an account on a backbone machine (decvax) back in 1985. 🆒 I’m a late adopter. No cable, just bought a DVD player this year. And I still own a phone capable of rotary dialing. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/18 "2005-05-06T22:29:02Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > And I still own a phone capable of rotary dialing. :eek: I haven’t owned a pair of blue jeans in 15+ years. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/19 "2005-05-07T00:00:38Z")
Paging **David Simmons** the doper who probably did more things before most other dopers were even born than we are likely to do in a lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722/20 "2005-05-07T00:02:30Z")
I haven’t driven a car yet. I’m 46. What do _I_ win? No desire for a cell phone here, either. I didn’t get married until I was 39. Does that count? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-first-to-do-it/302722.md?page=2)