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Users of the first social network at a party 1989 watch!

vlog.rheingold.com — A slice of cyberculture history: Over twenty years ago, people who met online began to meet in person at the WELL office in Sausalito. These interviews are from a WELL party, 1989.

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  • marquibeck, on 05/02/2008, -12/+3Blogged it in relation to Web2.0 debates in Spain... some cyberculture history is more than welcome to inform others who haven't read "The Virtual Community". Great vlog flash back & flash fwd.
  • freyaXgefn, on 05/02/2008, -1/+13"information is the sugar of the 20th century"
  • synystar, on 05/02/2008, -1/+68I remember when MMORPGS were text based. They were called MUDs. Social networks were called BBS and Usenet. Browsing the "Web" was text based until Netscape changed everything. It's weird to think that I didn't have teh internets when I was a kid.
    • riversc, on 05/02/2008, -0/+5hey remember "Usurper"? good times..
    • debuffplx, on 05/02/2008, -1/+11There were also a lot more interesting and unique personalities. just about everywhere you went, you could find smart, independent thinkers - certainly not like digg, facebook, myspace ect...
      • thumperings, on 05/02/2008, -0/+9thank AOL for allowing the brain dead a way to get online.
      • violentvinyl, on 05/02/2008, -1/+2There was no Tila Tekila back in the day either. The jury is still out on whether that was a good thing or not.

        Joking aside, it's quite a stretch to imply that there aren't as many (if not more) "interesting and unique personalities" today as there were back then. If ANYTHING, the way the web and the internet are today, the technology available makes it much easier for those who are not quite as "technology savvy" to have a presence. For instance, Kevin Rose did not "make" Digg. He had an idea, and he was able to recruit people to create it for him. Who's to say that back in the day he wouldn't have been just another script kiddie? And where would we all be? Where would you be if you didn't have the same access that you have now?

        I understand your complaint, but things haven't changed that much. Just like it was in the 80's, you just have to know where to look.
        • artliquide, on 05/02/2008, -0/+3Those who were into BBSs were the interesting people who have now been drowned out by the uninteresting celebrity devouring masses. Those interesting people of olden days are still there, but you just have to look a little harder to find them. For example, I have a Myspace profile, but I am very selective about who I "friend", because I'm really not interested hearing about what people are wearing today. I'd much rather hear interesting ideas, so most of my "friends" are very similar to the interesting personalities that I knew when I called several BBSs.

          And interestingly, there is a group on Myspace for past members of one of the BBSs I used to call. Full circle.
          • violentvinyl, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1Yeah, part of the "problem" is that there are now A LOT more places to look. I suspect that's part of the reason why Digg and Slashdot do so well, they provide us with a good (decent? depends on your opinion of them I guess) way to sort through the garbage. I agree that we could do without a lot of the incoherent babbling that goes on here on Digg, or on MySpace, but there's so much good that comes out of it too (ok, MySpace, not so much, but the aforementioned model/internet celebrity and lots of bands would tell you otherwise).

            I think on a BBS it was just easier to find people you liked, if you're not finding people you share interests with now, it's because you're not doing it right (and you artliguide, ARE doing it right), not because they aren't out there.
          • artliquide, on 05/04/2008, -0/+1You know, I originally joined Myspace reluctantly because a local band I like was posting their show dates there and not on their own website (grrr). Since I joined, I've reconnected with old friends from high school, met artists and thinkers in the US and in other countries (I'm even Noam Chomski's friend lol), found some really interesting bands in other areas that I never would have heard of otherwise, and just met some cool people with whom I can have a substantive conversation. I've had the occasional "friend" who would spam with with crap (I thought they were alright at first), but the nice thing is, you can just delete them. I know a lot of people harp on Myspace. But the thing is that with Adblock and selective friend picking, it's really nice to be able to find the interesting people, and shut out the annoying juvenile spammers. Hey, even my super intellectual crazy artistic ex boyfriend is on there now (huge feat, believe me).
      • eggraid, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1What is the website of ect?
    • headzoo, on 05/02/2008, -0/+23I miss those days. Running a BBS was much more fun than having a website.
      • ProfessorLX, on 05/02/2008, -0/+2i ran a BBS in vancouver canada with about 100 users. man.. those were the good times. i still dont know how i got enough money scrounged up for 2 extra phone lines + hardware when i was 13 lol.

        LoRD, Colors, BRE, Falcons Eye, Exitilus some of my fave games ever.
        • headzoo, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1I agree. There's was a great deal more satisfaction in watching someone physically connect to your BBS, and watch them browse around, then looking at a bunch of web stats. Plus you could chat with them if you wanted to.
    • giveer, on 05/02/2008, -0/+5Loved the T.A.G. system and couldn't get enough of L.O.R.D. - damn, I was addicted to that thing...and..oh! DAMMIT! I'm getting another call!!...fu... °°°wwwwwwwwww^^ NO CARRIER
    • artliquide, on 05/02/2008, -0/+4Yep, and back then we'd go to GTs (get togethers)-early 90s for me. Good memories, even if all I had was a 2400 baud modem ;)
      • markscott65, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1Lucky! All I had was a 300 baud acoustical modem that I had to whistle into just to get a connection. Then I had transmit data uphill both ways!

        Sheesh! Kids these days...
        • artliquide, on 05/04/2008, -0/+1LOL. Yeah, and to be honest, I was probably the one with the slowest connection (by early 90s people usually had faster modems). Man, I bet you can just imagine the excitement I felt when my mom bought a 14.4K modem! ;D
    • syncr, on 05/02/2008, -0/+5Good old Moria... :) 33 years and still kicking. Eat that WoW.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PLATO_Moria
    • Rikkochet, on 05/02/2008, -0/+12Back when security wasn't even an issue.
      I ran a BBS (with several hundred members) for a good three years and my SysOp password was just a carriage return - no one ever even tried it.
      • sinoth, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1I hear ya. There was a lot of mutual respect back then. What do you think changed with the Internet? You could still be anonymous on a BBS, so that isn't the only issue. I guess the only people who even knew what a BBS was were geeks, so we tended to get along well.
    • Striss, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1BBS's were the win. I've actually started running a BBS of my own recently with LORD, BRE, Falcon's Eye and a sweet MUD. You can telnet to it at urlgray.ca if you'd like to some oldschool text-based fun.
      • ogre2112, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1Was nice to see BRE again. Thanks =)
        Ahhh... Goooie Kablooie!
    • je12u, on 05/02/2008, -0/+0I still love Usenet ;)
    • xsquirrel378x, on 05/02/2008, -0/+2mosaic not netscape
  • ChronicColonic, on 05/02/2008, -2/+6The World Wide WELL
  • rocko_stazetti, on 05/02/2008, -9/+13"I've made friends, I've got job connections ... um ... I've met my husband through Usenet ... sort of."

    Husband . . . riiiight
    • nonrate, on 05/02/2008, -2/+3I was thinking the same thing...
      • Hazardc, on 05/02/2008, -0/+5people digging this guy down obviously didnt watch the video. haha
    • phrenzy, on 05/02/2008, -1/+3I'm ashamed to say I thought the same thing - but, back then, ALL girls that knew how to use computers were, umm, odd.
  • smurfz, on 05/02/2008, -4/+21gangster tye dye shirt the guys wearing
  • sysoprock, on 05/02/2008, -4/+16From the looks of that thumbnail I'd be willing to guess that guy had just seen White Men Can't Jump.
  • EnjoyTheFact, on 05/02/2008, -8/+7It's hard to listen to him for some reason.
    • Brad324, on 05/02/2008, -3/+3Never mind "him", I had to shut the window after 5 seconds of that intro.
      • ace429k, on 05/02/2008, -2/+1i'm with ya. the glare off his head annoyed me. and that awful beep beep music intro.
  • FriedTurkey, on 05/02/2008, -3/+12I would bet a million dollars that this guy smokes a lot of pot.
    • synystar, on 05/02/2008, -1/+6Do you have million dollars? What is your definition of "a lot"? I might want in.
    • Clark3934, on 05/02/2008, -1/+2That's the first thing I thought... "Man this guy must've done a lot of drugs."
      Just the way he spoke: so slow, so many pauses. It was like he was waiting for things in his brain to connect.
      • trumpydumpy, on 05/02/2008, -2/+1More like he was contemplative about what he was saying instead of spewing whatever ***** first came to mind like many people seem to do these days.
    • trumpydumpy, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1Probably eats a lot of psychedelics as well.
  • eleli, on 05/02/2008, -7/+1It sounds like he's peeing...
  • wickensworth, on 05/02/2008, -3/+5MOM?
  • misterteenwolf, on 05/02/2008, -6/+11much respect to that guy but he makes a very interesting topic boring
    • LR2_, on 05/02/2008, -0/+2I actually found the whole thing rather fascinating.
  • nonrate, on 05/02/2008, -3/+52:37 - LOL, reminds me of Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters when he was introducing guests at his "party"!
    • Andyschism, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1Hey, this is real smoked salmon from Nova Scotia, Canada, $24.95 a pound! It only cost me $14.12 after tax, though.
  • elstevo, on 05/02/2008, -3/+3that is one sweet 80's getup. totally rad
  • h0ms4r, on 05/02/2008, -2/+8Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1989.
  • oep4, on 05/02/2008, -4/+3DUGG FOR THE HARD DISK ANALOGY.
    /obligatory
    • stealth210, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1I really don't think it was an analogy.
  • T8erT0T, on 05/02/2008, -1/+4Most annoying intro ever.Nice look at the interVets talking about old times though, kind of cool to see what it was like.
  • MaidenFan2358, on 05/02/2008, -21/+2Social networks started in Northern California about 30 years ago. Suck it rest of the world. Chant with me.

    USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA
    • Ockniel, on 05/02/2008, -1/+2This comment and your profile both spell troll, gtfo I say!
      • MaidenFan2358, on 05/02/2008, -5/+2Stop being a whiny little *****. Can't take a joke? did your mommy not give you your ovaltine?
        • TheDHC, on 05/02/2008, -0/+3internet was serious business back in 1989. still is to this very day.
  • ThiefAnders, on 05/02/2008, -9/+0Anyone think this was going to be the subject of a bad joke? Seriously, I was expecting to laugh my ass off, then all I got was this documentary.
    • ThinkBox, on 05/02/2008, -0/+6You are what's wrong with Digg. It's not an idiot laugh factory. It USED to be great.
      • daRoach, on 05/02/2008, -0/+2Yeah, I'm pretty convinced Digg is dead now... RIP old friend.
    • ThiefAnders, on 05/02/2008, -3/+0No. YOU are what's wrong with Digg. Yes you. Was the rude reply necessary? No, I think not.

      And did I SAY that I wanted to laugh? No. Read my comment. All I meant to say was that the title, along with the incredibly goofy picture, made me think that it was going to be a spoof video. That's all I meant by my comment.

      I enjoyed the documentary very much, asshole. No, I am not the problem with Digg. Good day.
  • apollyon, on 05/02/2008, -2/+36This is the kind of story that I wish was more common on Digg, the kind of story that made Digg great about 2 or 3 years ago. Man, I'm surprised a video as unique and niche like this has made it to the Digg front page once again.
    • ANT1138, on 05/02/2008, -0/+3Yup. Great stuff. I'd love to see more stuff like this.
  • ferrell, on 05/02/2008, -3/+37And to think we've gone from that to 4chan...

    :(
    • poptones, on 05/02/2008, -2/+2RULE 1 & 2
      OGC
      omnomnomnomn
      Oh look, kitties!
  • dualboy24, on 05/02/2008, -1/+2I want the internets social networking to be like that now. I would love to have a site composed of different local network groups, that just meetup and have fun.
  • twmulloy, on 05/02/2008, -5/+3ge ge ge get it out old man, i don't have all day.
  • dachocobo, on 05/02/2008, -0/+10Dugg because this guy's my professor. Rheingold paints his shoes and knows just about everything about the history of social networking.
    • celkin, on 05/02/2008, -0/+4Rheingold's a pretty cool guy. Eh paints his shoes and doesn't afraid of anything.
  • xen0blue, on 05/02/2008, -3/+1where is sausalito? texas?
    • 1337d00d, on 05/02/2008, -0/+2kali4nia
    • DephexTwin, on 05/02/2008, -0/+4I think it's the new appetizer at Chili's.
      • golgotha, on 05/02/2008, -0/+0oh my god, thank you for putting me on the floor in tears....
    • asskicker32, on 05/02/2008, -0/+2Its a nouveaux cover band in Tokyo
  • MyDiggIsBig, on 05/02/2008, -3/+4am i the only one is a bit FREAKED OUT by that random huge white parrot on that ladies shoulder!

    or has the tie dye and retrofest kinda sensatized the weirdness meter
  • MyDiggIsBig, on 05/02/2008, -6/+2"i need information... a lot of it. I need a big stream of information flowing through me"

    uhuh...."information." i gotcha.. meet me out back in 10.
  • RobotBuddha, on 05/02/2008, -2/+1Oh man, the well? Can't watch it now, but here's hoping R.U. is there.
  • spootmonkey, on 05/02/2008, -1/+3What is up with the bird lady..can you imagine walking in that room with a lady with a bird on her shoulder and a guy that looks like a fell down a rainbow....man thats a party
  • TecK415, on 05/02/2008, -4/+1....Creepy.
  • tmyprod, on 05/02/2008, -5/+2I know social networking in the eighties is all well and interesting, but damn, how did our species make it past the 80s with that hair?
    • trumpydumpy, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1You apparently haven't seen emo haircuts these days.
  • Synkedam, on 05/02/2008, -8/+0Buried for the use of iGarbage at the intro and outro.
  • YamiJim, on 05/02/2008, -0/+5+1 for his awesome hat
  • moolaismyfriend, on 05/02/2008, -1/+3That was pretty neat to jump back to that era and see the people who help make what we have today.
  • bridgeyman, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1"I need a big stream of information flowing through me" lol. He speaks from my soul!
  • parkskier426, on 05/02/2008, -1/+1I wish I could have been involved back then...
    buuut I was only two :o(
  • axiomo, on 05/02/2008, -1/+2Did anybody else notice that the bird lady looks and sounds exactly like Allison Janney (the mother in Juno)?
  • cyrt, on 05/02/2008, -1/+1Does anyone know who the writer (guy in the thumbnail) is?
    It would be interesting to read some of his work...
    • krutal, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1This is Howard Rheingold, the video lies on his video blog you can get more info about him at www.rheingold.com
    • ElektraAssassin, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1I do believe that is Howard Rheingold.......but I could be wrong. ;-)
  • phrenzy, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1In the bay area I believe there was also one called "The Wave"

    But, as far as I know the original "pretty" social network interface "Quantum Link" (via People Connection) which started in 1985 for the C64. One friend of mine met some girl who stole money from her mom and flew to SF from Florida. The cops came and got her later that day... good times growing up with computers...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_Link


  • sn0t, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1I bet that would have been great.
    You never would have gotten spammed by "Vanessa" wanting to be your friend.
  • agentmedia, on 05/02/2008, -3/+5Nearly 90% of the Well community were addicted to ASCII porn
  • betona, on 05/02/2008, -0/+2CompuServe's Forums had exponentially more people at least 6 years earlier. I made so many good friends there.
  • dougmc, on 05/02/2008, -1/+4`_First_ social network' ? That's a pretty bold claim, and the only way I see that it could be correct would be with a very narrow definition of the term `social network'.

    Certainly, there were BBSs and things like Usenet and other forums that formed a social network before the Well was created.

    Looks like the article itself says `early virtual community' -- that I'll go for.
  • ZomZom, on 05/02/2008, -2/+3What passes for knowledge on the west coast boggles the mind.
  • vofuse, on 05/02/2008, -0/+3R.I.P. the days when the majority of people online were intelligent, affluent and a tab snobbish.
  • zomgwaffles, on 05/02/2008, -0/+2this guy is awesome, look at that big ol' pussy sweeper he has, gotta love it
  • dmark77, on 05/02/2008, -0/+3Awesome. I am still a Well member :)
  • rollerboy, on 05/02/2008, -2/+2Nice hat. Wow to think I was born in 1989.
  • chrisdancy, on 05/02/2008, -2/+1In 1993 I got a group of users together who were regulars on a channel I used. Very few of them said anything and it was very awkward.

    The next time we met, I actually brought keyboards and handed them to everyone to liven things up...no dice.

    Lesson Learned: Social Networks are for the lazy and the lifeless.
    • chrisdancy, on 05/02/2008, -0/+1Social Networks in 1993 were for the lazy and the lifeless.
  • trumpydumpy, on 05/02/2008, -1/+1Favorite part: ~8:50 when the relatively moderate looking woman says "and that was great, because I'm a deadhead and it's a great place for deadheads to be."
    Just goes to prove that not all hippies are dirty and stinky. She's pretty hot, too.
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