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| By Chris McGinty of AccordingToWhim.com |
I was not an early adopter of the
internet. I didn’t much like the internet when it first existed. This wasn’t me
being old and crotchety. I was just 22. On an unrelated topic, I didn’t mind
dying.
The problem was that when the
internet started to become a thing that the general public was aware of, it was
more of a study tool for colleges than a source of entertainment. Eventually,
it improved a little bit when AOL allowed us to start chatting with people from
all over the world who shared hobbies and interests. At least, I think so. If
it was America Online, how was I talking to people in England? I feel
like such a fool.
internet started to become a thing that the general public was aware of, it was
more of a study tool for colleges than a source of entertainment. Eventually,
it improved a little bit when AOL allowed us to start chatting with people from
all over the world who shared hobbies and interests. At least, I think so. If
it was America Online, how was I talking to people in England? I feel
like such a fool.
I don’t actually feel like a
fool… unless England
didn’t really have AOL, and I was actually onto something when I wrote that
joke.
fool… unless England
didn’t really have AOL, and I was actually onto something when I wrote that
joke.
The night that I finally decided
that the internet was “useful” was when I sat up listening to streaming Duran
Duran b-sides, many of which I’d never heard, while reading short stories
written and posted by unpublished authors. Two things: By “useful” I mean that
it entertained me, and brought value to my life in some way & by
“unpublished” I mean it as we thought of it back then, not being published by
a publishing house.
that the internet was “useful” was when I sat up listening to streaming Duran
Duran b-sides, many of which I’d never heard, while reading short stories
written and posted by unpublished authors. Two things: By “useful” I mean that
it entertained me, and brought value to my life in some way & by
“unpublished” I mean it as we thought of it back then, not being published by
a publishing house.
Now, I don’t go a single day
without using the internet. I could do it if I felt the need, and if I wasn’t
working since I currently deliver Uber Eats which requires internet and GPS.
The thing is that the internet has become way more “useful” in many more ways
over the last twenty-four years, which makes me 36.
without using the internet. I could do it if I felt the need, and if I wasn’t
working since I currently deliver Uber Eats which requires internet and GPS.
The thing is that the internet has become way more “useful” in many more ways
over the last twenty-four years, which makes me 36.
I’ve not used the internet much
today, as I’ve been writing… except that I’ve read articles, I’ve researched
information, and I’ve been listening to Spotify the whole time.
today, as I’ve been writing… except that I’ve read articles, I’ve researched
information, and I’ve been listening to Spotify the whole time.
The thing that I find
interesting, in my own mind at least, is that for everything that the internet
has brought us, I think that one of my favourite things to do is still to
listen to a wide variety of music (some self published) while reading self
published writing. I mostly read nonfiction online, and read fiction offline,
but that’s been more of a time constraint issue than anything. The two major
differences in these preferences is I like to watch videos on You Tube, and I
have since become one of those self publishers through the blog, the website,
our You Tube channel, and the games Nathan and I have created (one by using
Kickstarter to fund the publishing).
interesting, in my own mind at least, is that for everything that the internet
has brought us, I think that one of my favourite things to do is still to
listen to a wide variety of music (some self published) while reading self
published writing. I mostly read nonfiction online, and read fiction offline,
but that’s been more of a time constraint issue than anything. The two major
differences in these preferences is I like to watch videos on You Tube, and I
have since become one of those self publishers through the blog, the website,
our You Tube channel, and the games Nathan and I have created (one by using
Kickstarter to fund the publishing).
Chris McGinty is a blogger who is more than happy with the internet, because self publishing used to be considered a bad thing, and now it may be the most common form of publishing. Think about it.