What’s So Ancient Only Internet Veterans Can Remember?

A Reddit user asked ‘What is so ancient only Internet veterans can remember?’ and here are 30 of the responses.

Here is more about vintage.

1. Winamp

Internet veterans
awesabre

awesabre said:
Winamp. It really whips the lamas a&s. So much time perfecting skins.

KlaatuBrute replied:
> “So much time perfecting skins.”

Honestly that’s kind of one of the things I miss the most about old internet—everything was unique down to the individual user. Flashing marquees, neon text on a different neon color background, dancing gifs everywhere. The entire internet had this cobbled-together look like an old alley in Hong Kong.

Now everything looks the same, like digital urban sprawl.

2. The Internet Can’t Work If Someone’s Using The Landline

Conny_and_Theo

Conny_and_Theo said:
Having to make sure no one is on the phone so you can use the internet.

ltBurnsWhenlPvP replied:
When I set up our internet for the first time mid 90s I accidentally had it calling a long distance number. Dad received a phone bill for $2800. We no longer had the internet in our house after that.

3. Website Visitor Counters

Internet veterans
grendel54

grendel54 said:
Counters on webpages.

Wildcat_twister12 replied:
When doing research online—Wow this site has had 300,000 people visit, the information must be legit.

4. Custom Mouse Cursors

Blackout1322

Blackout1322 said:
When we used to risk getting viruses just to get cool cursors.

AmoreLucky replied:
Or smileys for your instant messenger like AIM, MSN, or Yahoo Messenger.

5. Dial-Up Internet

ThisBroDo

ThisBroDo said:
Dial up.

ResponsibleBase replied:
And that unforgettable tone sequence while connecting!

6. Having To Type Out The Beginning Of Each Website

OriginalAnalysis2940

Having to actually type out “http://www.” before entering the website.

7. MapQuest Struggles

Internet veterans
ItsBulkingSeasonLads

ItsBulkingSeasonLads said:
If going on a long car journey, having to print off directions from MapQuest.

keb1965 replied:
And the first three pages were how to get out of your driveway.

8. Desktop Themes For Windows

kal_el_diablo

Remember desktop themes? Changing all your icons, mouse pointer, computer sounds, etc., to images and sounds from, like, Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist or whatever.

9. Not Being Able To Play Flash Games Any More

Internet veterans
joothinkso

joothinkso said:
Not being able to play flash games until the flash player had been updated.

the_hell_you_say replied:
Having to update flash player every time you turned the computer on.

drunk98 replied:
[That thing] updated hourly & never got any better, it’s like me if I was an app.

10. RealPlayer

Orinocobro

Orinocobro said:
Real Player.

Also: uninstalling Real Player.

UebelKanuebel replied:
Yeah. And Quicktime.

1Eternallylost replied:
Reminds me of those postage stamp sized movies at 6 fps.