Life before the Internet?
How primitive!

Computer Commentary
By Richard P. Weiss
For the Times

There was a time when the 21st century seemed so far away.
During that era, "online" was where my clothes were hung to dry. I recollect singing along with phonograph records that oftentimes skipped. I delighted in playing board games such as Scrabble or chess on an actual chess or Scrabble board.
The only cable I had was the one I used to lock up my bicycle. When I had a virus, it affected my head and chest, not my computer’s hard drive.
And, if you can believe it, I actually had to get up and walk over to the black-and-white TV and turn the knob to change the channel. Even worse — during this archaic age, I recall having a choice of, at most, six or seven TV channels. "VHS" and "VCR" meant nothing; everything I watched was on either "VHF" or "UHF."
Thankfully, we have left that barbaric epoch behind. Apparently, technology has advanced more over the past 20 years than it has since the beginning of man. Setting foot on the moon is old news; today, we listen to music from discs read with laser beams or from data downloaded to memory cards.
Our calculators run off available light. We play board games online, challenging opponents living anywhere in the world. We call people on miniature cell phones the size of a matchbook, operate a variety of appliances by remote control, send mail around the world with the split-second click of a mouse, and choose among hundreds of channels from our satellite cable systems.
Among all of our innovations, I find the advances in Internet technology most intriguing. Our ability to log on to any computer, anywhere, at any time, and communicate to anyone with access to another computer has made our world a smaller place.
Improvements to computer operating systems in recent years have made using a computer easier than ever. Even my children and their friends have mastered a multitude of computer programs, and have acquired their own e-mail accounts.
Instant messaging does away with our trepidation about "calling too late," and we don’t even have to worry about the implications of contacting someone we have never met. Calling a total stranger on the phone, at random, has always been taboo in our society. Yet, the Internet has made it perfectly acceptable to meet total strangers through chat rooms and instant messaging.
The Internet has brought a world of information, knowledge, and new friends into our homes. However, our latest technological craze has created a number of drawbacks. People we meet online might portray themselves as people they’re not, so we must be cautious if we decide to meet online contacts personally.
We also need to monitor our children’s online activities very closely to make sure they stay clear of material inappropriate for their age groups, and limit their chat partners to their friends and family.
Our computers have goaded some of us to stay home, transfixing us upon our computer monitors. Our addiction to cyberspace has drawn many of us away from our exercise regimens and our social life, leaving us in worse shape, both physically and emotionally.
Financially, we may also be worse off than we were before we entered this high-tech age. Today we spend $25 per month (and up) for Internet service, $40 per month or more on our cell-phone accounts, $50 per month on our cable service, $3 for each ATM withdrawal and more on VHS and DVD rentals.
Online payment options make it even easier for all of us to part with our money, without ever feeling those crisp green bills. We also can’t forget the $700 to $1200 we shell out on our computers, peripherals and software.
Before the 1980s, we would watch our TV for free, write letters and mail them at a minimal charge. We would make calls on our rotary phones (without paying additional for voice mail), and visit our bank to make a withdrawal — for FREE!
In many ways, our newfangled use of high-tech gadgets has enriched our lives. However, none of our invented conveniences will ever compare to simply taking a trip, getting together with people, or spending time with friends and family.
Though the Internet is a keen diversion, it will never take the place of our beloved three-dimensional world. ••
Richard P. Weiss is a former Castor Gardens resident now living in Bensalem.