I’ve been fascinated with computers ever since the first time I touched a keyboard.  My sister, Ellen, who has introduced me to so many things in my life is also responsible for introducing me to computers.  I was ten years old and in the sixth grade and Ellen was nineteen and in college.  We were worlds apart, but she still took the time to spend a day with me.

We took the train and then a shuttle bus to her college campus in Boston and walked around for a while before she brought me to the computer lab.  The lab seemed huge to me and was filled with college students busily clicking away. Ellen sat me at one of the Digital VT terminals and logged me in. There wasn’t much to do, but there were several text-based games to keep me entertained while she tended to whatever work she had. I also remember printing out large sheets of ASCII graphics (where simple keyboard characters are used to form a giant picture when viewed at a distance) and taking them with us; one was of Snoopy sitting on his dog house as the Red Baron.  That certainly wasn’t the only thing I took away from that day.  I was hooked on computers.

When my father bought our family’s first computer, a Kaypro II, I quickly mastered everything that came with it.  I learned CP/M, WordStar, The Word Plus, Perfect Writer, and Perfect Calc.  Then I set my mind on tackling Basic.  I read as much as I could from books that I had borrowed from the library, carefully keying in sample programs, and analyzing their results.  I heavily modified early basic programs like Eliza, the computer psychiatrist, and Vampire, an adventure game before I moved on to making my own programs.  I spent hours at a time, punching away at the keyboard.

I moved on to newer and better computer systems and mastered all I could with those, too.  I eventually got into modems and ended up running a very successful Commodore Bulletin Board System (BBS), the precursor of today’s web sites.  So, by the time I had my first chance to use the internet in 1992, I thought I knew what to expect.  I knew about faster speeds, multi-user access, and simple-to-use protocols.  What I really wasn’t expecting was the profound impact it would eventually have on the world in general.  I always laugh when I discover how little some people realize the ways the internet has already changed our lives and some of the ways it will likely continue to change them.

My first internet encounter was through a software protocol called Gopher. The interface wasn’t graphics based like the modern web browser, but had a very simple way of organizing data into menus.  I remember scrolling through different Gopher sites and selecting options which led to new sites and new options when I stumbled across the DNA Bank of Japan.

The previous night, I had watched the move Lorenzo’s Oil with Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon.  It’s an interesting, albeit fairly melodramatic, true story of a couple who had devoted their lives to finding a cure for their son’s disease. Their son, Lorenzo, suffered from a degenerative nerve disorder and the doctors had written him off as a lost cause.  The parents researched medical journals, library materials, and scientific papers, learning everything they could about the disease and possible treatments.  Over time, they would become more knowledgeable about the disorder than most doctors and eventually helped to develop a treatment.

What struck me about the movie was how difficult these people’s task was.  They had as much difficulty tracking down the information as they did in comprehending its meaning.  They spent many hours in the library, attended conferences, and met with researches. Even when they discovered what could very well be their son’s life saving medicine, they had to locate a scientist who had researched the chemical composition of the fatty acids to be able to produce their cure.  They literally spent years of their lives collecting and organizing information.

My first search in the DNA Bank of Japan was for the fatty acids they had repeatedly discussed in the film.  Almost instantaneously, I was looking at its chemical structure.  There were links to even more information.  Although I wasn’t sure that what I was looking at was the exact information that Lorenzo’s father had spent so much time researching, it had significance to me.  I realized the power of the internet.  The internet bridges the divide: the divide between people and information.  I’d eventually experience how it bridges the divide between people and other people, and even between information and other information.

The internet is home to some great people who have embraced the new frontier and provide valuable or interesting information, usually for free.  Although some operators request payment for an expanded newsletter, access to their archives, early releases, posting ability, ad-free content, or simply because they hope you will find worth in what they provide, the cost sometimes only covers their expenses and provides them with an incentive to continue.  When you find a free web site or newsletter that you particularly enjoy, definitely consider becoming a full member and making their efforts worthwhile.

One person who provides a great web site and newsletter is Fred Langa from http://www.langa.com.  Fred is a freelance author for InformationWeek and has been a writer and editor for over 25 years, is very knowledgeable, and a heck of a nice guy.  The couple times I’ve emailed him a contribution to his newsletter, he’s emailed me back directly.  My father has also received response from Fred in reference to some emails he had sent about configuring his PC.  Although I’m sure Fred can’t and wouldn’t respond to every email he gets, it’s nice to see that he makes any effort at all.

Fred’s web site is packed with useful and insightful information about computer installations, usage, maintenance, repair, and upkeep.  He has tips on software, hardware, and networks.  It’s a great place to look to whenever you have a computer problem or need some good advice.  Fred also provides a free newsletter that arrives twice-a-week, containing useful information and Fred won’t sell your email address.  And, if you pay for the inexpensive Plus Edition of his newsletter, Fred donates a portion of the proceeds to charity.  Fred is one of Deezle.com’s heroes.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Winston Churchill