I'd say 1997, but it wasn't totally required in life until 2000.

it was around '96.

97 or 98.

I voted 1999, although even then, I guess it wasn't 100% essential (close, but not quite). By 2000/01 it was, but to me '99 was about the time when even grandma's started knowing what it was - that's a good gauge for knowing something has "arrived" in the world! ;D

I may have heard the very first teeny bits about it in 1994 but didn't pay much attention. The first time I know I heard people use the term "Internet" or saw "www" addresses on TV was late '95.

First went on in mid-late 1996 when I was visiting my dad's office one day (it was summer and I went on somebody else's computer -- it was a weekend -- while he did some work). I can still remember how much fun I had on there for about 3 hours, but that was a very slow/primitive version compared to today. I saw it as amazing, so it was still in its infancy.

We had it at home by '97 but the first time I'd say it became a normal part of my life to go on there was mid 1998. By '99, I was forgetting what life used to be without it, LOL - I think that was also the year things like downloading music came into being.

Of course, imagining 2005 life without it is like 1955 life without cars!

I voted 1999, although even then, I guess it wasn't 100% essential (close, but not quite). By 2000/01 it was, but to me '99 was about the time when even grandma's started knowing what it was - that's a good gauge for knowing something has "arrived" in the world! ;D

I may have heard the very first teeny bits about it in 1994 but didn't pay much attention. The first time I know I heard people use the term "Internet" or saw "www" addresses on TV was late '95.

First went on in mid-late 1996 when I was visiting my dad's office one day (it was summer and I went on somebody else's computer -- it was a weekend -- while he did some work). I can still remember how much fun I had on there for about 3 hours, but that was a very slow/primitive version compared to today. I saw it as amazing, so it was still in its infancy.

We had it at home by '97 but the first time I'd say it became a normal part of my life to go on there was mid 1998. By '99, I was forgetting what life used to be without it, LOL - I think that was also the year things like downloading music came into being.

Of course, imagining 2005 life without it is like 1955 life without cars!


I'd actually go as far as to say the early 90s (1990-93) was pre-Internet.  Up to 1996 technology wasn't too far beytond the 1980s.

1999.  Trust me, it WAS 1999.

'99 is when I noticed that nearly everyone had an email address and knew how to get on the net.  In 1997 and 1998, it was still kinda different.

1999.  Trust me, it WAS 1999.

'99 is when I noticed that nearly everyone had an email address and knew how to get on the net.  In 1997 and 1998, it was still kinda different.


Believe or not, I'd almost say the 90s were pre-internet.  I mean some people have had Internet since 1990 or 1989 but those are mostly nerdy types and businessmen.  I wouldn't say until 1998 or so more household had it than didn't. 2001 is when it became totally essential I'd say.

Whats weird though is that there are still a significant minority of households that do not have it. I'd say it could still be as many as 1 in 4..

The internet is not a requirement... yet. Although it has grown alot in the last 5-10 years from something only geeks and high-class business men used to something nearly everyone in the western world has access to. I would say 1998-2000 were really the years that internet really took hold. It was also the time when I first started using the internet more.

it was around '96.
here here :)

With me personally, it was 2000, but that's just personally.  It might have actually been 1999-ish, though I did hear about it first in 1993.

People often don't realise what a huge revolution the world wide web is...how much it has impacted our lives. Indeed, its almost as huge as when the first books were published. I remember our school got 'wired' around '97, although I think the first time I used the internet was 1995 or so. It seems amazing that as recent as 1993 many people didn't know the internet existed (although the internet per se has actually existed since the late 60s), and now it'd be hard to imagine life without it.

I think having the Net is still the exception; while access to the Internet is available to just about everyone these days, there's far more people than you think who still don't have a computer in their homes. But I'll agree that the Internet started to become much more of a "necessity" by about 1999 - 2000. Recently a work colleague showed me an old magazine ad for a 286 personal computer from 1989. The price? $6500.

If you're talking about the world as a whole, then of course probably less than 10% of people, mostly in first world countries would have internet access (most wouldn't even have access, let alone have their own connection). But this probably goes the same for TVs, and in some places like Africa a clean water supply. Just another example of how benefits are not shared equally due to economic differences.

Recently a work colleague showed me an old magazine ad for a 286 personal computer from 1989. The price? $6500.


That certainly makes Jeanie's line from 'Ferris Bueller' - "He got a car, I got a computer" pretty accurate for 1986! ;D

When was the advent of Napster? 98 maybe? Granted the Internet had been around long before that (I started using it in 93), but the popularity of it didn't really kick in until things like Napster came into play. Granted, mass-file trading was old news at this time (irc anybody?), but everyone started talking about it in the news, so then everyone wanted to get it on it. Ecommerce had been how for a while, but it was mainly trading between companies at the time. Iirc the boom didn't hit til 98 (or perhaps 97).

Someone I know had AOL in 1994...I got to be a guest on AOL in 1995..

I read somewhere that the Internet was originally created for the military and scientists...

I got my first internet in the year at my house in  2000, but I had extensive experience using it since 1998 and even before that around 1994 I was introduced to it the first time in a generic computer class (does anyone remember e-world?).

I read somewhere that the Internet was originally created for the military and scientists...

  There was a "crude" version of the internet in the late 60's used by the military to issue nationwide notices and alerts in an instant. It basicly. consisted of tele-types hooked to phone lines.

  The internet we're famaliar with came about in the early/mid 80's. Prodigy, IRC, Compuserve(started in 1969) and the likes were around then. Users were mostly charged by the minute(OUCH). AOL version 1 rolled out around 1989 when AppleLink changed the name after aquiring Quantum.

  It wasn't until modem speeds reached "acceptable" levels in the mid 90's that internet access became popular, still mostly as a novelty.

  With ever cheaper PC's and even faster internet access, the web became popular in the late 90's. 

  I would rekon for most people in "developed" countries it became the "norm"(people knew of it but didn't necessarily have it) around 1998.

  Of course this is only my opinion and I take no responsibility for any errors.

  For a history of AOL, please visit http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Fall2000/McAtee/