[Mom]

I miss how innocent and small things seemed to be back then. The internet was still seen as a tool you don't mess with unless you needed to do some paperwork as companies were early adopters of emails and whatnot, but that didn't really affect the developing internet "culture" at the time.

As the internet became more mainstream and spotlighted by the powers that be, it feels like it has become more hostile and vitriolic. Many old communities wouldn't survive, 4chan particularly feeling like a shadow of its former self as it's the new "super sekrit klub" of just about anyone who wants to feel like they're the sharpest edge on the block whereas before it was a far more minute community with actual respect to the containment tags. With the flood of people desperate to prove they're the most daring, every board has become some variation of /pol/ or /b/.

Flash is an obvious one considering it's semi-recent death, though Newgrounds did a good job of converting much of its Flash content into something capable of preservation, we've certainly lost a lot to that death. Another site I often visited a child, ArcadePod.com, was one that I think didn't quite survive despite it still being online. I remember it being one of the first websites to host an online emulator before laws caught up with the internet and it had to be shut down. It was primitive, had a limited selection, and couldn't save. I still loved it all the same and is the main reason I can say I finished Link's Awakening and the original Pokemon's in one sitting. (I suppose the lack of vicious corporate control is also something I miss, but that's an entirely too-long rant for now).

Also Tank Ball.

[d4ggm4sk]

I miss how innocent and small things seemed to be back then. The internet was still seen as a tool you don't mess with unless you needed to do some paperwork as companies were early adopters of emails and whatnot, but that didn't really affect the developing internet "culture" at the time.

As the internet became more mainstream and spotlighted by the powers that be, it feels like it has become more hostile and vitriolic. Many old communities wouldn't survive, 4chan particularly feeling like a shadow of its former self as it's the new "super sekrit klub" of just about anyone who wants to feel like they're the sharpest edge on the block whereas before it was a far more minute community with actual respect to the containment tags. With the flood of people desperate to prove they're the most daring, every board has become some variation of /pol/ or /b/.

Flash is an obvious one considering it's semi-recent death, though Newgrounds did a good job of converting much of its Flash content into something capable of preservation, we've certainly lost a lot to that death. Another site I often visited a child, ArcadePod.com, was one that I think didn't quite survive despite it still being online. I remember it being one of the first websites to host an online emulator before laws caught up with the internet and it had to be shut down. It was primitive, had a limited selection, and couldn't save. I still loved it all the same and is the main reason I can say I finished Link's Awakening and the original Pokemon's in one sitting. (I suppose the lack of vicious corporate control is also something I miss, but that's an entirely too-long rant for now).

Also Tank Ball.

oh my god xD I actually remember we used to play that game at lunch break back in 2007.

[Oni]

I miss how innocent and small things seemed to be back then. The internet was still seen as a tool you don't mess with unless you needed to do some paperwork as companies were early adopters of emails and whatnot, but that didn't really affect the developing internet "culture" at the time.

As the internet became more mainstream and spotlighted by the powers that be, it feels like it has become more hostile and vitriolic. Many old communities wouldn't survive, 4chan particularly feeling like a shadow of its former self as it's the new "super sekrit klub" of just about anyone who wants to feel like they're the sharpest edge on the block whereas before it was a far more minute community with actual respect to the containment tags. With the flood of people desperate to prove they're the most daring, every board has become some variation of /pol/ or /b/.

Flash is an obvious one considering it's semi-recent death, though Newgrounds did a good job of converting much of its Flash content into something capable of preservation, we've certainly lost a lot to that death. Another site I often visited a child, ArcadePod.com, was one that I think didn't quite survive despite it still being online. I remember it being one of the first websites to host an online emulator before laws caught up with the internet and it had to be shut down. It was primitive, had a limited selection, and couldn't save. I still loved it all the same and is the main reason I can say I finished Link's Awakening and the original Pokemon's in one sitting. (I suppose the lack of vicious corporate control is also something I miss, but that's an entirely too-long rant for now).

Also Tank Ball.

4chan definitely went to shit. Hiroyuki can't even be blamed.

[Sinny]

Man the good ol days, I remember being a preteen texting my cousin on MySpace yell remember that shit oh yeah crazy times. I do gotta say windows xp was my first love for windows on my first computer.

[Lifeh]

Less advertising, we're been bombarded now days

[mothered]

Less advertising, we're been bombarded now days

I totally agree.

On my main systems, ad blockers are the first thing I Install on each browser.

[Mom]

4chan definitely went to shit. Hiroyuki can't even be blamed.

I agree completely. It's not like he was a saint, but I think the corrosion of 4chan would happen regardless of who had the place.

Less advertising, we're been bombarded now days

I totally agree.

On my main systems, ad blockers are the first thing I Install on each browser.

Good to know I'm not the only one. Advertisements always existed even on the internet, but they have grown more aggressive with every passing year.

[mothered]

Good to know I'm not the only one. Advertisements always existed even on the internet, but they have grown more aggressive with every passing year.

Agreed.

When navigating on my test systems without an ad blocker, there hasn't been a single advertisement that's attracted my attention.

[sachaneedslove]

Back in the days, I missed being hit by viruses and malwares from malicious websites and pirated games and keygens I can get my hands on when I was a kid. I would get my hands on it all day trying to study how it works via reverse engineering and how to make a much better version of it. Its a very fun experience!

[mothered]

Back in the days, I missed being hit by viruses and malwares from malicious websites and pirated games and keygens I can get my hands on

Do you happen to remember the reverse engineers named "Edge?".

They were known for RE'ing every Norton/Symantec product.