At what age were you exposed to the use of internet?
By dolce_vita78
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
Philippines
April 25, 2008 8:44pm CST
I do remember so well that in the early 90s, internet services here in the Philippines was indeed a luxury. It was very expensive! Perhaps only big companies can afford to have internet installed. Later on, internet cafes and internet shops were established. Still, the services they offer were very expensive. But because I really wanted to learn how to use the internet, I sacrificed a little to get myself exposed to the use of internet. I was then 16 years old. Though internet was very expensive, it was very slow since dial-ups were used during that time. After about 4 years, the price of internet services started to decline. Probably because of growing competition. However, speed was still a problem. After a while, high speed connections were already available. Of course, it was then very expensive. It was only about 3 or 4 years ago that high speed internet services started to become more affordable.
6 people like this
27 responses
@Fidget (291)
•
26 Apr 08
I first came across the internet in the late 1990s when at 6th Form (16-18yrs) but wasn't too bothered with it. My interest came about more when I went onto Uni in 2000 and has since grown from there. We didn't get internet at home (I live in the UK) until about 2003 at which point only my brother and I used it. Only just now have my parents started using it too. It's been a gradual process but I'd say now it's a very important part of my life.
3 people like this
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
26 Apr 08
I dont think i ever started using the internet until i had a computer at home and then I slowly got used to it
blessed be
1 person likes this
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
It's really great to have our parents interested in using the computer and internet for that matter. I know of some people who don't.
1 person likes this
@megumiart (3771)
• United States
26 Apr 08
My family first got theinternet in our house when I was 8, in 1998 I think. I remember it being soooo sooo slow. I hated it, but I used it to find information for school projects and stuff.
2 people like this
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
I know what you mean. I also hated how slow internet was then. I also just used it for researching for school projects and stuff.
1 person likes this
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
i remember we had our first internet connection when i was in first year college. :) my brother was studying about computers and he asked if my mom can buy computer for us and everything was included in the package. it was still dial up back then hehe
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
26 Apr 08
I started learning internet in the year 2001, It was a friend of mine who invited me once in her house and teach me how to use it, like how to email and chat! AT that time, I was very hesitant to touch anything of the computer, LOL, It was fun and sometimes, I prefer to stay in her apartment overnight and will just stop using her computer like 4 am in the morning!
2 people like this
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
Oh! I know what you mean... When we first had internet connection here at home, there were times when I would not even sleep at all. LOL! But that was years ago...
1 person likes this
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
26 Apr 08
I was introduced / started using the internet probably about 12 years ago. I was using a dial up back then. Now I have a cable modem, but for my laptop I still use dial-up because something is wrong with the ethernet port on it and I can't afford to get it fixed.
2 people like this
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
I do hope that you would have your ethernet port fixed soon...
1 person likes this
@p_vadla (1685)
• India
26 Apr 08
It was in 1995-96 that I started using internet. Our college was one of the few institutes that had internet connection in that part of the country.My age then was 30 y, i think. Yeah, it was very slow during those days.Now it is open like never before.
2 people like this
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
26 Apr 08
When I was in high school, they had electronic bulletin boards that were not quite the internet, but were a way to communicate, especially with other students. When I got into college, they had a very slow internet system that was text only. It really wasn't until Microsoft Windows came out that the internet really began to take off and I was already well into adulthood then. I first got my own internet when I got my own computer in 1999. But, I was using it in the library and at school since about 1993.
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
26 Apr 08
I was exposed to computers - the old things LOL - at about 17, but there was no internet then. I was already here in Canada when it started becoming available and we kind of got it more or less in the beginning, but I was always almost almost 30.
And yes, I do remember how slow it was. I even remember when we would turn it on and get not a nice browser to search what we wanted but almost like a page with lots of links on it with no apparent organization to it:)
@lilyoungfella (1196)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
It was already 21st century when i got in to internet. LoL. When i was still in grade school, I remember my teacher gave us an assignment and the only we can pass it to him is through his e-mail address. My family that time already had a personal computer at home so it was so easy for me to use the machine. The only problem was that i had no idea on what an internet is. Gladly my classmate was so patient to be my internet tutor.
I was already in high school when i really got hooked on the internet. It was because of the influence of my classmates. A so called "Friendster Mania". A popular social networking site here in my country. Everyone's got an account. It's like your identification card online. lol.
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
Hi dolce_vita! Yes, that is very true. I think it was in the mid nineties and we have an internet service in my shop. It was rather expensive and slow. I think I was in my late twenties then. I use dial up connection. Take care and have a nice day! 
@jesbellaine (4139)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
I was exposed to the Internet 8 years ago meaning freshmen in college. Don't get me wrong, we have computers and I know how to use it even when I am in highschool but my parents wouldn't allow me to have Internet at home because they thought that it is just a waste since they have seen other teen playing online surfing nonsense stuff.. (u know parents, lolx)so when I got in college, my parents allowed me to get my own computer and internet at home since I will really need it for reseach and stuff.
@mikeysmom (2088)
• United States
26 Apr 08
i was a late starter for sure. we did not have computers when i was in school. i graduated high school in 1979. i always wanted a computer but could never afford one. but in 2001 i finally got one and i cannot live without it or the internet. it all makes my life so much easier!!!
1 person likes this
@rickysltan (64)
• Malaysia
26 Apr 08
I would say that it was during my college years when i first started using the internet. I can still remember that I was hooked on just the telephone line with a very very slow modem and the screen were on DOS mode where most of it were just chatting and Bulletin Boards. It was roughly about 15 years ago when i started using the internet. But, it has evolved so dramatically that now i am on a broadband access with 1mb line and I am still complaining.
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
26 Apr 08
I was 32 years of age when i started undertaking research for award of the degree of PhD when i was first introduced to the internet lol, so it shows this old dog can learn new tricks
blessed be
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
26 Apr 08
I think that it was in my late twenties when I was first exposed to the Internet, but as you have said here, it was very expensive to surf on the Internet in the nineties. I really started to use the Internet in the year 2000 and I had so many basic things to learn about how to use the Computer and search for any information that I needed. I was so addicted to the Internet and years later in 2004, I started to have the Internet connection in my own apartment and have been using it ever since. The price is much cheaper now than it used to in the 1990s.
1 person likes this
@bagumbayan (2705)
• Philippines
28 May 08
Maybe 5 years ago when I was into computer thing. We still dont have the unit but we can make use of computer shop facilties and some old computers in the office. Even now, all I know is to read and prepare memos, surf the internet and read some important computer topics, but to some technical matters I am still a beginner.
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
30 Apr 08
approximately it was 1996 when internet first introduce to the Philippines. I remember the 3 lucky universities that been provided my the connection. it was UP Diliman, UST and in Mindanao, MSU-IIT in Iligan City. I am the student at the time but my course don't have computer subject for us to take up. I don't know how to use internet until year 2001, my cousin taught me how to use it, and i remember the first site that was friendster.com. LOL. last year i bought my unit and connected it with smartBro until now.
@chechuva (1275)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
i already heard about internet when i got to high school level. but honestly i just enjoyed using internet when i got to my college year. it was really expensive, i rented in cafe's and i always got home late because of renting.
when i got my computer and internet(dial-up) my mom still spend lots of money, since 20 hours cost 100Php. and you know what, we only had dsl when im already finished studying!!! 
now im enjoying the luxury of fast internet on my idle times..
now im enjoying the luxury of fast internet on my idle times..
