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Internet Service Providers ISPs) began offering Internet access to the masses
The World and UUNET were two of the first ISPs and were accessible through dial-up internet service. Image source: https://www.studypool.com/documents/4893364/living-in-the-it-era-chapter-2-supplemental -
Microsoft releases web browser Internet Explorer
Offered as an add-on to Windows 95. Most people had limited access to the internet and could not use the new browser. Image source: https://me.mashable.com/tech/17496/goodbye-internet-explorer-microsoft-finally-ends-support-for-the-age-old-browser-after-27-years -
Fax of Newborn Michael Callaway
My first son Michael was born. My dad was working in Bolivia at the time. Since it was the early days of the internet, and neither he or anyone we knew had access to a quick and easy way to send him a picture of his first grandson. My mom him sent a fax of Michael's newborn photo. It was unsuccessful, and my dad received a photo of the coal black silhouette of a baby. Image source: https://openclipart.org/detail/286762/fax-machine -
Used a Juno email account
I exchanged emails with my parents using our Juno email accounts on our desktop computers. Image source: https://www.hlplanet.com/computers-of-1990s/ -
Ordering items from eBay on the internet
I was expecting my third son Benjamin. We were trying to be frugal, and I made some of my first internet purchases using eBay to buy used baby items through a dial-up internet connection. -
First Digital Camera
We were moving to Bolivia and were gifted our first digital camera so that we could send photos back to our families in the United States. It was about the size of an old fashioned Polaroid camera and used 3.5 inch floppy disks. Image source: https://www.dpreview.com/articles/2701323663/sonys-mavica-fd71-likes-floppy-disks-hates-magnets -
Got my first smart phone
After hanging onto my simple cell phone that did not have internet capability for as long as I could, I found that without a smart phone I struggled to keep up with the details of my children's activities. So, I gave in and bought my first smart phone, and have never looked back. -
My first online college course
I took my first online college course - Human Growth and Development - from Garrett Community College. Source: https://www.cleanpng.com/png-garrett-college-community-college-organization-log-6758945/ -
Streaming church services during COVID-19 lockdown
While in-person church services were suspended due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, I assisted my husband in setting up a live stream of his sermons via the internet, creating a social media profile for our church. Image source: personal image belonging to the author -
Received a digital picture frame
Instead of sending baby photos in the form of indistinguishable faxes, my children send me photos of my grandchildren by way of a digital picture frame via the internet. I get new full color pictures and videos weekly downloaded to the digital frame sent directly from their smart phones.