Hi, this thought came to me the other day, I don’t mean this forum specifically (for example I don’t personally post a lot here compared to others) but on the Internet as a whole, a lot (including me on sports forums) spent thousands, maybe hundreds thousands of hours discussing with people we never met and will never meet.
I wonder how we will personally feel about that when we are very old, what a strange world we are living it. Who would have thought that just 20 years ago?
It’s already normal. I first started talking to strangers on the internet in 1993, 27 years ago 
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I used the Usenet Unix interface on our college network to freely chat with engineers on the NASA Cassini Saturn Probe mission. It was so novel back then. It was a blast to see Cassini reach it’s goal many years later.
Its escapism, like drugs. Good in small doses, bad if it becomes a driving force in ones life.
Wow 1993 didn’t even know the Internet existed at this time 
My experience from 2005 (when I was posting a lot about music and other stuff) is very different to 2020, as you said now it’s the norm. By the way forumosa is probably an oddity, you have much better chance to meet someone in real from this forum than in any other social network.
It did . Pregraphical user interface. We used what were called usenet groups, primitive but innovative text versions of Forumosa working on Unix. I have been using online forums for 27 years already…
My main topics back then were Space and UFOs and Aliens. 
I remember well the first time I used a graphical browser interface, Mozilla I think, I was blown away.
PS
At the time I would sneak my friends into the computer building to let them use the new fangled internet thing.
One of my buddies really got into it switched from English to an IT degree, and went on to have a very successful career in the IT area. He credits me to this day with introducing him to it…Back at the start of it all.
Thats why i prefer old styled formats like message boards, not social media. Its fun coming here as my opinions are challenged and that stimulates thought. Its a conversation, not a like parade. At the very least we should preserve real conversation(aka disagreements) and try to avoid a situation in which everyone gives me a thumbsup/heart and tells me how long and thick my muscular Hercules digital cock is…
I gave you a like for that , feeling you buddy.
Stay strong hon.
By the way the only discussion forum I know that never got a new design is this one http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/
I posted a total of roughly 800 messages there from 2004 to 2007 and back in the day I thought I was posting “a lot” 
check the design of the forum, pure old school LOL, totally dead now.
I think my first experience was '92 on the old Prodigy message boards.
Back at ya. But lets be honest. Its a tenth of a digital handjob. Has no real meaning, though a show of agreement. I like it when people agree with me. But i learn more when people disagree with me and i can think from another perspective. It may not always be comfortable, especially in real life, but it is stimulating and encouraging and ultimately makes us better people
Forums, anyone can counter or agree with a post. Places like fb people filter who they want to hear from and the cycle goes down hill from there 
I guess i am trying to say forums are humbling and confrontational whereas facebook type spaces are where narcissism tends to breed. I find comfort in being confronted and called out. Its healthy and a way to grow.
I was sneaked into the computer building late at night to play Asteroids and Space Quest. On green and black Apple monitors. It was mind-blowing. Must have been around '87. I remember floppy discs getting easily fucked up.
Haha nice one .
I see your trance addict (which BTW seemed to break my browser ) with
Another guilty pleasure -
Abovetopsecret.com . That’s a fun forum actually. It even had Robbie Williams posting about his UFO sightings at one stage. And a lot of conspiracy but interesting society type posts.
Lol nice design as well, see it looks still quite active too.
People can have hundreds and thousands of facebook ‘friends’ and don’t even say hello to their neighbor.
20 yrs ago it was the year 2000 (Technically 2001 sheesh). I used the school internets, along with a buddy, to chat to others, learned how to draw and shared the crappy drawings on anime art forums. This sped up my progression no doubt, now i’ve been living off my art for the last 10 yrs, all thanks to the internet.
And the kids today got it even better, they smoke my ass.
My only regret is not using it to get laid, i was clueless back then. An older woman (older as in probably late 20s) invited me to go get busy and i didnt have the guts! 
I know. A high school classmate visiting me, the summer we graduated, before she went off to college (very cute korean girl) suggested that we shower together to save time before we go out to dinner and a movie. I said “why? there are two bathrooms in the house, its quicker if we each use one”…well i was right in a way. it is quicker …we would not have made the movie in time otherwise if she had her way.
that was a very very very different tommy, i really don’t even know him anymore
Jesus Tomster…good story but totally unrelated to anything in this thread.
It’s all about the guts…
I was focusing on the last paragraph obviously .