Ten Years Ago

Donna Young @ 31 December 2008
Filed in Categories: donnayoung.org Life

http://donnayoung.org

Today is the last day of 2008 and with that thought; I am giving myself a 10-year internet anniversary nod. Ten years is the length of time that I have been using the internet. Ten years ago is also when my husband unflinching paid 3g to purchase my choice of computer. It was a Compaq Presario, the top of the line at the time and it gave me all sorts of trouble. I learned what I needed to learn about the computer’s problems and after a while, the computer gave little problems at all and it still runs. It sits in my dining room and up until a few months ago, it was used daily. When it is booted up, it makes a sound like, “chug-a-lug chug-a-lug chug-a-lug chug-a-lug chug-a-lug weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEE.” I don’t know what causes that sound, it always made it. Then as it loads windows, it laughs manically because we set it to do that, or rather, my daughter did.

When something gives me trouble, it is a cue to learn and to overcome. If there is intelligence behind a design, then there must be a solution somewhere, if not, there is no intelligence and computers are useless but since computers are under widespread usage, then they must not be useless if we are to consider that humans have any sense at all and we do consider that because it is true, and so I had to learn what caused the computer’s troubles. (That’s a translated train of thought and I didn’t actually think that, I don’t always think in English (words).) I’m all about problem solving, me and the mental hammer.

Ten years ago also marks the year that I started my website. One day while browsing the internet, I came across a personal homeschool website. I barely knew what a website was at the time and I had no idea that personal websites were possible. What a surprise and at that moment, I wanted one! Then I found FrontPage Express on my computer and that was another surprise. Imagine – I could make a website even if I did not know how and I did not. I learn fast when I am interested. I had my first website up in a few weeks at the free yahoo web site place, geocities. A few homeschool books link readers to my old geocities website.

attic trash

A few days ago, I brought down some old boxes from the attic. Two of the boxes were my Compaq’s boxes. It is time for those to go and it is also time to pack up the old Compaq and move it out of my dining room.

Cheers to the Internet

Happy internet anniversary, Donna! I am very thanful you decided to build a website! I found donnayoung.org when I first started homeschooling and it was just what I needed to get me through the rough parts. Thanks so much for that. :)

My very first computer, purchased almost exactly ten years ago, was a Compaq. I do not remember which model; Presario sounds very, very familiar, but maybe I just pined for that one because I remember mine costing only 2g. ("Only," she says, rolling her eyes at the ceiling.) One day it chug-a-lugged its last, and I was glad. Glad, glad, glad. I hated that stupid thing. LOL

— Melanie · Dec 31, 08:32 PM · #

This all very interesting Donna. I`ve had a computer longer than you, my dad was in the beginning of this whole phenomenon and we had one of the early ones where you had to flip switches on and off to do stuff - I never did the hang of that.

This April will mark our 10 year anniversary of being on line =)

I just noticed that the smilies aren`t here!! :-(

Happy Anniversary!!

— Elaine · Dec 31, 09:33 PM · #

The smilies are just not laid out all easy like they were before. I am going to put a sidebar block up that shows what smiles can be used someday. In the meantime, just type the usual smilie term and they should show.

This wasn`t my first computer. It was the first one that could go online. My other computer is an old Tandy and guess what? We still use it. My computers just won`t die. I thought the Tandy died after the 2K glitch of 2000, but I booted it and it worked, then I reset the clock for years ago.

— DY · Dec 31, 09:56 PM · #

Melanie I am just too happy to share homeschooliness. :D

Did your Compaq chug-a-lug too? I thought that was one odd sound coming out of something like a computer.

— DY · Dec 31, 10:03 PM · #

My Compaq went more like: "Eeerrreeeeree-chunk-eeeee-rrrrRRRRrRRrRRR-chunk." Sometimes we just left it on at night so we wouldn`t have to listen to it power up in the morning. LOL

— Melanie · Jan 3, 05:36 PM · #

Happy internet anniversary Donna!

I found your website in 2000 I was homeschooling preschool with my youngest. You were a big part of the courage it took to bring my 6th grader home too in 2003. Tell hubby thank you for supporting you so you could help all of us.
Your train of thought was very inspirational. It reminded me of the movie I just watched No Intellegence Allowed. I am glad you pushed forward through all the computer lingo and problems to bring us your website.
Here`s to you! hot drink

<-insert coffee cup here;)

— Lisa · Jan 4, 03:10 PM · #

Hi Donna - Happy Anniversary! I wanted to say thank you for all the wisdom you share with the homeschool community! I have read your articles, used your forms in my notebooks, and learned a great deal from here over the past 9 years or so. You helped me start preschool with my oldest, and now continue with your high school forms! Thanks for the encouragement and information you shared with all! :)

My computer - I have no idea what kind is is, hubby likes to rebuild old computers with several different parts for "fun" - anyway, it makes a loud GGGGgggrrrrrrrr when starting, then after a few minutes softens to a gentle wuh, wuh, wuh, wuh. Kind of annoying, but at least its rhythmic!

— Pamela · Jan 7, 08:45 AM · #

Thank you Pamela. :)

— DY · Jan 12, 04:02 AM · #

I`d like to see that movie. I`ll pass your thanks on to hubby; I know he will appreciate it. :)

— DY · Jan 12, 04:05 AM · #

LOL, that is a funny sound! laughing

— DY · Jan 12, 04:06 AM · #

Oh WOW I remember that first site!! I think yours was probably the first, or one of the first, homeschool websites I ever bookmarked. I know that if I had a counter on my computer, keeping track of all the homeschool sites I have visited over the years, the count for yours would be hundreds of times higher than any other. I have to tell you, yours is still, in my opinion #1. Of course, I am addicted to forms and printables.... ;)

Thanks for all the work you put into it!

— Dawn · Jan 14, 10:08 PM · #

Thank you Dawn! :D

— Donna Young · Jan 15, 08:49 PM · #