1994:
I installed a CD-ROM drive into my Amiga 4000 today. Sadly, it sticks out about an inch in front because the 4000 itself is too small for a CD-ROM drive. My desk setup is goofy, too. The phone jack is too far from my desk so I can’t really talk on the phone while at my computer. Sidenote: I read an article in Byte magazine about digital answering machines. For $700, this machine has NO TAPES and can record up to four minutes!
1995:
H.323 phoning technology is going to revolutionize the telephone industry. People aren’t going to need phones any more. People will use their computers to call, and eventually–when more people have superfast Internet access like D.S.L., more telephone calls will flow over the Internet and dial-up ISPs will disappear! You’ll even be able to make video calls–with movement! Oh and you’ve got to check out this new concept cell phone I just saw in Popular Science. It has a COLOR SCREEN!! Man, I wish I could afford a cell phone.
1999:
I can now make a phone call to grandma using my computer, but it sounds like grandma is inside a windtunnel holding on for dear life. Plus, she can’t figure out how to get InternetPhone running when she wants to call me, so I have to drive over to her house anyway and help her. I heard Cisco now has a voicemail system. I wonder if it sucks as bad as their softswitch. At least it doesn’t use that crummy new protocol SIP. The Cisco guy I was talking to said SIP was some pretty scary sh*t. Oh yeah–check this: the local phone company says we might be getting DSL in our area soon! I can wait to try NetMeeting on something better than dial-up. Oh yeah, Amiga went bankrupt again. My first issue of Yahoo! Internet Life magazine arrived today!
2002:
I tried to call the telephone company’s customer service to find out why my DSL modem has blue smoke pouring out of it. Was surprised a tech support rep answered since the DSL company is bankrupt, but anyway. She sounded like she was from Texas. Oh, and she had me reboot my computer, my DSL modem, and my router. She kind of flipped when I told her I had a router, and she was certain the problem was my router. Oh yeah NetMeeting rocks but the ILS directory is mostly filled with people trying to arrange cybersex. Note to self: grandma won’t like that. Oh yeah I talked to the local Cisco guy again. He still says to hold off on SIP, at it’s some pretty scary sh*t.
2003:
Bothered by the fact that Yahoo Messenger for Mac still has no voice support. I got a color-screen cell phone today. SHWEET. Had another argument with the DSL company today. Apparently connecting more than one computer to the DSL line using a router is a violation of the customer agreement. This Packet8 stuff sounds cool. My friend who still has dial-up wants to get DSL because of YouTube. I’ve only seen YouTube like once; going to check it out some more tonight if the DSL is up. It’s been down the last few days.
2004:
Switched from DSL to cable now that this “road runner” is available in my area. I had to call tech support. The guy sounded like he was from Pakistan. He had me reboot my cable modem, computer, and router. He advised me that running a router was something he couldn’t support. I still can’t believe Macromedia is no more.
2005:
I read today that, by the end of next year, we’ll have to all be using digital high definition TVs. Crap. Grandma just bought another big-screen low-def TV. Everybody’s murmuring about an “iPhone” to be released soon by Apple. Don’t make the laugh. Steve Jobs has said over and over he has no interest in PDAs.
2008:
Packet8 till doesn’t offer a soft phone so I can use my home phone line wherever I’m at. Screw that, I’m cancelling my service and just using my iPhone for everything from now on.
