Stroll down IM Memory Lane
Mar. 12th, 2003 07:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisI'm testing out a new IM client. I've been a faithful user of Trillian for a long time now and while others have had some serious issues, it's never been a problem for me. But, we're moving towards secured IM here at work and it's likely that Trillian won't be a option for us as a client so I'm nudging around looking for alternatives.
In the early 80's we used a program called Tell on the IBM Mainframes (VM/CMS I think was the operating environment). Only the geekiest of the geekiest and me used it. Most of the people I worked with didn't even have accounts on the mainframes or terminals or PCs on their desks. But, I was way too curious so I convinced my manager that one of us (who, me? well, if you insist) needed to be trying out the new office programs they were developing and she agreed. I got a terminal on my desk and in a fabulous stroke of luck, got one for home that came complete with a 300 baud coupler modem. I was cool.
My best ever use of IM or Tell was in 1985. My Mom and I were going to London. She'd gotten tickets to Wimbledon for Christmas and at the last minute Daddy couldn't go. (Me? Go with? Sure!) A day or two before we left I sent a Tell to the admin userid at the London lab... I timed it during his (they were all of the 'he' persuasion back then) dinner break. Tell's were limited to about 200 characters I think, so it took about three to intruduce myself and explain my reason for interupting his work day. I told him I was on my way to London on holiday and was interested in the latest weather for 'what to bring' purposes.
He sent me back info that was, as it turned out, very useful. He was pretty surprised and very nice about it. And I was sooo impressed with myself and my creative use of technology.
Back then, Tells were used for business pretty much exclusively with the occasional hijinx app thrown in. I do distinctly remember making plans with one of my geeky friends for lunch one day. I sent him a Tell that said '5 mins - meet you by the bulletin board'... When I got to the bulletin board he said 'so, is your phone on the fritz?' Some people were not quite seeing the future yet...
This all sounds so ridiculously mundane now but I promise it was cutting edge then. Cutting edge I tell you.
Oh, today's new IM is Gaim - so far it's kind of cool... no skins so it's a bit ugly, but it does have spellcheck.
In the early 80's we used a program called Tell on the IBM Mainframes (VM/CMS I think was the operating environment). Only the geekiest of the geekiest and me used it. Most of the people I worked with didn't even have accounts on the mainframes or terminals or PCs on their desks. But, I was way too curious so I convinced my manager that one of us (who, me? well, if you insist) needed to be trying out the new office programs they were developing and she agreed. I got a terminal on my desk and in a fabulous stroke of luck, got one for home that came complete with a 300 baud coupler modem. I was cool.
My best ever use of IM or Tell was in 1985. My Mom and I were going to London. She'd gotten tickets to Wimbledon for Christmas and at the last minute Daddy couldn't go. (Me? Go with? Sure!) A day or two before we left I sent a Tell to the admin userid at the London lab... I timed it during his (they were all of the 'he' persuasion back then) dinner break. Tell's were limited to about 200 characters I think, so it took about three to intruduce myself and explain my reason for interupting his work day. I told him I was on my way to London on holiday and was interested in the latest weather for 'what to bring' purposes.
He sent me back info that was, as it turned out, very useful. He was pretty surprised and very nice about it. And I was sooo impressed with myself and my creative use of technology.
Back then, Tells were used for business pretty much exclusively with the occasional hijinx app thrown in. I do distinctly remember making plans with one of my geeky friends for lunch one day. I sent him a Tell that said '5 mins - meet you by the bulletin board'... When I got to the bulletin board he said 'so, is your phone on the fritz?' Some people were not quite seeing the future yet...
This all sounds so ridiculously mundane now but I promise it was cutting edge then. Cutting edge I tell you.
Oh, today's new IM is Gaim - so far it's kind of cool... no skins so it's a bit ugly, but it does have spellcheck.
