It began in the late summer of 1997 when one of my neighbors sold me a custom-built Pentium PC with an external modem. My transition to being a “connected mind” was gradual. Some people were even dating online, either by joining such online dating sites as or hanging out in chat rooms in Yahoo or AOL. Many stores, banks, and other enterprises were also beginning to do business online via websites as well. Many of my friends and communications consulting clients were connected to the Web and used instant messaging and email on a regular basis. I was afraid that my custom-built PC would be infected by the Michelangelo Virus or something like it.Īs the years went by, however, I realized that my resistance to the Internet was doing me more harm than good. I also dreaded computer viruses when some of my friends tried to convince me to sign up with America Online (AOL) in 1993, I declined. For years I had heard horror stories about hackers who could gain access of unwary surfers’ computers and steal their personal data and even money with only a few keystrokes. In those early days when 56 Kbps dial-up connections were the norm, I had mixed feelings about the World Wide Web. I do most of my banking online, and since my cerebral palsy makes it difficult for me to get around independently, Amazon and eBay are my virtual shopping malls, too. For good or ill, I depend on the Net for many things – the ability to work from home, find information without having to go to a public library or use an outdated “old school” encyclopedia, and keep in touch with friends and relatives who live in various parts of the globe. The Internet has been part of my life since the summer of 1999. “Chance favors the connected mind.” ― Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation
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