tag:dashes.com,2009:/anil//1/tag:www.dashes.com,2000:/anil//1.128- Comments for Perhaps the most amazing thing A Blog About Making Culture Movable Type 4.3-en tag:www.dashes.com,2000:/anil//1.128 2000-01-12T03:16:33Z 2005-08-12T06:49:24Z Perhaps the most amazing thing Perhaps the most amazing thing about the AOLTW merger to me is that the company which is buying Time, CNN, and Madonna is the one... Anil http://anildash.com/ Perhaps the most amazing thing about the AOLTW merger to me is that the company which is buying Time, CNN, and Madonna is the one I first became acquainted with when I used to use the Commodore VIC-20 and later the Commodore 64. You see, AOL was originally known as Quantum Computer Services.

Quantum used to run a service for Commodore users which was known as Quantum Link, or, more commonly, Q-Link. There is an ugly, but information-rich, page about Q-Link here.

To give you an idea of how the company has progressed, I used to use a C-64 with (at first) a 150 baud modem and then later a 300 baud modem. And even then, the chat rooms were the big revenue generator for the service. Although, since I hadn't yet hit puberty at the time, I didn't have much appreciation for them.

Next time I get a chance to go back to my parent's house, I'll snap a picture of the Quantum Link T-shirt that they sent to subscribers on their 2nd or 3rd anniversary. Until I can post that, enjoy Steve Case's words to subscribers upon Q-Link's death.

Interestingly, I was reluctant to make the switch to any platform other than the Commodore systems. At the time, the PC's that were available were behind the C-64 in terms of graphics, sound, music, and expansion abilities. But I eventually did make the switch. My first PC system? A Commdore Colt.

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