When did you start using an online computer?

I first went online in 1997. It's possible that it was 1996, but 1997 for sure. I was 34.

I first started regularly using a computer (e. g. at least once per week) in 1990. I was 27.

I first actually touched and used a computer some time in the '70s. I was a teenager; probably 14 or 15 so that would place the date somewhere between 1975 and 1978. Since I think my brother was still in High School that would further narrow down that date to before late 1977. A friend of my father's had a computer at his work, at the National Institutes of Health. He had a game on it called "Lord Baron" which was something of a precursor to the Sims. I remember using it and thinking at the time, I'm hooked.

I remember my first computer and how hard it was to figure out how to get connected to the internet. I went to the store and bought a bunch of books and somehow............figured the whole thing out. Now connected via my phone line.

hmmmm, first touched a computer in about 1960 or 1961 - hamburger had to take me to work! he set me up at a terminal, gave me a box of used punch cards and let me go wild. Programmed from about 1977 on (very intermittently) - i didn't really use the first company intranet that was available to me - about 1990 - well, i did, but i was extremely out there in the ozone without a clue. The next company MADE us use our internet/intranet - that was 1995 for me. I fought it. I didn't want people emailing me stuff, or making me go look at vendor websites. By 2000 I was 'using' the systems - still somewhat reluctantly (dunno why). Now, the i.t. people at my new place of employ ask me stuff. Times change, and so did I.

Computers for Dummies helped me with my nerves/reluctance. You'd think that 14 years after i started programming, i would have been more relaxed about it. Oyyyyyyyy!

1993
1993 was the year of the "great connection"! For some reason, every attempt here to mark the poll has failed. I keep getting kicked out of the log-on. Then, after re-upping, ¡NADA! Go ahead and mark it for me; I won't try any more. Not gonna tell you how far back the involvement with computers: It's a long, long time! - Charli

OOPS! I MARKED IT!
Oops! I was able to mark the poll after posting the message. Thanks anyway!

Remember George Morrow?
In the 1980s, my first home computer was made by George Morrow and my first work computer was a Compaq.

BumbleBeeBoogie

dont remember the year but my first puter cost $16,000, 8k ram 2 meg hard drive CPM OS, printer was Epson 9-pin dot matrix (about 1980)

It was in October 1998. I was 59 at the time. I had been talking about buying a computer with my husband for awhile, but nothing developed. I had even taken a course in computers some years before in the Adult Ed. Department in our local college. I remember that at the end of the course, we were given a book called, "The Least that You Need to Know about DOS".

Anyhow, one night my husband and I were talking at dinner, and out of the blue, I am on the phone with Dell. We bought which was, at the time, a state of the art computer, and it set us back 4 grand! PentiumII, 128mg RAM, 16 GIG hard drive, 450 mhz processor. I thought that it was a Rolls Royce!

I spent the first month mostly on the phone with Dell. Believe me, I knew practically nothing about computers. About a month later I signed up with AT&T dialup ISP- So now I had the internet.

I felt like I was a kid in a candy store. I had heard of the term "Information Superhighway", but never knew what it really meant. Now I knew. I bought a couple of simple books on computing, plus a big fat complicated one. I also bought a book on "Internet Yellow Pages", which at the time did not realize that it was close to useless.

In the spring, I was reading the New York Times online, and saw the link to Abuzz. About the time of the Abuzz "change", I dropped At&T for RoadRunner.

I still have my old dinosaur. I have upgraded my RAM from 128 to 384, changed my mouse and keyboard. Recently my 21" Sony Trinitron died, and I bought a Samsung 19" LCD screen which I love.

I have been looking at the Dell 8250s at the mall, and I drool a little when I see it. Fact is, this computer does just about all I need it to do, so I won't upgrade until this one dies!

I've had my computer for approximately three years. When I retired, a friend of my daughter's had just bought a new computer and thought I might be interested in her old one. (It was four years old, but had been upgraded). I bought it at a cost of $100.00 and then purchased a new laser printer. I had never used a computer before. (Yes, I used a typewriter for over 30 years. I'll bet you didn't know there were any of those dinosaurs, or for that matter, cave women like me still in existence. )It took me six months to summon up the courage to hook-up to the Internet and another six months to log on to Abuzz. I am utterly amazed, stupefied, and in awe of the wonders of the Internet and am constantly crusading to get my retired friends to take the plunge. I'm using a Windows 95, Packard Bell computer and dial-up, but have decided to wait until it wears out (I refuse to use that other "word") before I purchase a new one. The thought of starting over again with a new computer terrifies me, but when the time comes (heaven forbid), I will be brave and meet the challenge - because, I can no longer live without the internet.

Phoenix, your dinosaur is about 3 times more modern than mine!!!

I remember that we had an Apple2E (?) at my jr. HS and HS, but I mostly used it to draw stuff. In college ('89- '93), I had an actual typewriter, though that was already behind the times -- I would use the computer lab now and then, when I could, but the lines were always enormous and I typed out all but 3 or 4 of my papers. That absolutely sucked. If you read a paper before turning it in and wanted to change a single sentence, too bad. I remember trying to fit a whole new sentence in to replace the bad one, counting letters, squeezing or expanding spacing, etc. (I had a fairly fancy typewriter, but it was still a typewriter.)

E.G. has been on the Internet forever and I started to really use the 'net when I met him. So that was 1992.

I started with a Tandy TX1000 in 1988. 640K RAM, slots for 5 1/4 floppy and 3 1/2 diskette. Later added a 32meg harddrive. Got onto the internet in 1999, as I recall. Started using one at work in '95.

I bought my first computer December 1998. I knew absolutely nothing about them. I asked a friend who had her own software company what she thought of the computer I had in mind, she said it would do fine, it was all I would ever need.

The computer was a Compaq Presario, 4GB's, 64 MB.

I signed on with AOL, and stayed with them for almost 4 years until I signed up with RoadRunner.

Owning a computer has changed my life completely and I've learned so much and met such great people through it.

I now have a HP Pavillion, 60 GB's, 256 MB, CD Reader/Writer, and is probably all I will ever need, until it dies.

Started on the Radio Shack TRS-80 in the late 70s (the "floppy disc" then was an audio cassette tape!), majored in computer science for a couple of semesters in college in 1977-78, so I too got used to the punched cards ("Hollerith"?). Did some programming in COBOL and PL/1 and Basic. First started using PCs at work in 1982, but didn't see the internet until 1996 or so. First got on the internet in 1999 when I got WEBTV, but thats basically internet access and e-mail only. Found Abuzz right about then. Got a PC two years ago, started out on dialup, now have a cable connection.

I got my first computer in 1999, it was also my first experience with the internet.

I started with a Web Tv alittle over 3 years ago and bought my computer about 6 months later.

I bought my second hand one about 2000 when I was 47, I guess - I still have it - but the monitor is bung (its second one) and I have more memory and a new video card and modem. I went straight on to the net - after a frustrating delay during which the vendor realised he had put my modem in another computer and sent it to Alice Springs, and that was why it didn't work!

First used computers? Hmm - in 1989 - at work - no net - I was 35.

First used a computer at high school. Punch card at first they actually had a disk drive before I left. There were computers when I started working out on the plant at BHP (1984), but I didn't see the PC type were familiar with until 1990. First used the net about 94 (from work, before everything got restricted.) Got my first computer in about 96 and my first net connection 97 or 98)

Hey, thanks for all of the great responses! I realize I messed up one of the years. I actually started regularly using a PC in 1987 (I was 24). It was a legal billing/calendaring system on a mainframe, and I used to teach new attorneys how to use it. Don't know why I forgot about it. The other dates are right; I'm pretty sure.