[zeroq]

I'm really torn on this one.

I remember the internet from '99. Before facebook, before messangers.

People were communicating via usenet mailing groups - think online forum but via email - and it was quite common that they were not only signing their mails with full name, but often with a home address so others could send them postcards - think patreon for caveman.

IRC users had frequent local meetups and regulars could easily put a face behind an username.

I understand it was different time at different place, but oh boy, it was so much better.

[dyauspitr]

You didn’t have the hoi polloi on the internet back then.

[zeroq]

Well, yes, you could argue the internet was like "harvard", a proper secret society club, where only wealthy and approved were invited, but still, even in '99 the internet was freely available at unis and I remember we had a whole plethora of weirdos.

The other weird artifact of that era were "gaming caffes" - much like internet caffes, but before the internet was widely available and people were often bringing their own PCs to play starcraft or quake on LAN.

I play competitive games online to this day and I really miss these days. Today's online scene is extremely toxic. I still remember my den which was often frequented by local gopniks, outmost disgusting creatures, but when we played the game there was a strong sense of chivalry and sportsmanship that's nowhere to be find in today's online games.