Life online (was AIM)

[dfrankiswork at netscape.net]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., Nethilia De Lobo <nethilia at y...> wrote:

> How can you manange??? *has a cable connection and so
> almost never shuts off her computer, except when she
> is going to be out of town, and has two names so that
> she doesn't sign off her main name when she's away on
> campus* 

Seriously, what is it like for you all out there?  I come from a 
generation (and perhaps live in a country) which still regards 
computers as an expensive luxury, while going online means friends 
can't phone us.  I don't think I know anyone (IRL) who has their own 
website outside business (or wants to - you get your 5MB of free 
space, but what's the point?), let alone their own domain, whether in 
Vanuatu or not.

I'm pretty sure many colleagues and friends would regard being part 
of an online forum (other than for business purposes) as being sad 
and definitely *not* grown up.  I haven't dared find out.

I get the impression everyone in America has their top-of-the-range 
computer (with tousands of pixels each way for easy cut-and-paste for 
snipping, combining, and spell checking) sitting in the corner 
permanently online with a high bandwidth fibroptic connection, so 
they can pop over and read the latest emails, IMs etc between baby 
feeds/client meetings/lectures, reply in a couple of ticks, and go on.

And what's a webring?