In the ’80s, the Commodore 64 (and later, the Commodore Amiga) consumed much of my time. I learned BASIC on it, and played primitive text and graphical games that still allowed for one’s imagination to fill in the details. Bulletin board systems (BBSs) were the closest thing to socializing on the Web today, but I still would get schoolwork done and play outside. But, the lure of electronic entertainment was on the rise. Today, we can connect to almost anyone worldwide without waiting or high expense. Ask a kid today what a pen pal is, and I’m sure they wouldn’t know! Games are photorealistic, leaving no room for imagination.
I wonder how much schoolwork I’d get done if I were born in the ’90s, with the Web and online social channels constantly beckoning…
