What do you miss the most about "the internet of old"?

[elbanano]

Some sites still retain that classic layout that I've mentioned before...

https://nesworld.com/index.php

on that same vein, I miss the recommended sites, it was a cool way to learn about new sites with similar content or at some good content recommended for its quality and not as an ad

 

[MegaDrive1987]

on that same vein, I miss the recommended sites, it was a cool way to learn about new sites with similar content or at some good content recommended for its quality and not as an ad

Yeah this is it, I remember (and miss) actually sufing the web, finding random gaming sites etc. Now it's just not the same at all.

 

[petran79]

I certainly do not miss Internet security back then. During dial-up windows 9x era, except viruses, there was also a chance that malware would highjack the modem dialing number and would dial some exotic islands instead of your isp. If you were not aware of this (different dial tone), phone bill could reach hundreds.
Up to WinXP, situation with security was dire.

But I miss text based irc, direct messaging like icq, webrings, tucows, pre-Google search engines (Metacrawler in my case), warez sites, streaming technologies like Real, Apple, Shockwave etc

I also dabbled in Javascript, HTML, Adobe Premiere and Macromedia Director

It still was the Wild West, before big tech started talking control

Also back then only 3-5 % of pc users had Internet access, so things were relatively peaceful and quiet.

Internet became heavily politicised post 9/11

 

[kuroninneko]

I miss not having to click on cookie policy popups and other popups. Its become frustrating to use especially on a smart phone. One thing I dont miss is trying to download a 100mb file over dialup. Its still magic to me when a large file downloads in seconds

Also this is interesting:

AOL set to pull the plug on iconic dial-up internet service

AOL will discontinue its iconic dial-up internet service in September.

abcnews.go.com

 

[Another Iori]

The Internet used to be an escape from reality, now reality is an escape from the Internet.

If you lack the imagination or skill to customize your signature, quoting this phrase might help you fill the empty space.

MSN "Man I remember when Linage 2 had MSN integrated in to the game it was cool"
old BBS boards.

In the 200X, the name MSN was on everyone's lips, as it was used as a sort of proto-dating app, however, Facebook quickly stole the chair right out from under it, so I jumped on that bandwagon, but in the end, the only one doing the fucking was Zuckerberg (who sold our personal data to the highest bidder).

I miss the general guardedness of people, having thicker skin and people just knowing how to not overshare or give away stuff that can leave a trail to be followed and doxed. I also miss the ability to not live in fear of age verification via photo and handing over my ID just to access a chat site.

The only alternative would be to create an alternative web, but one that keeps out companies like Nintendo, organized crime, minors (fuck YouTube Kids and whoever thought it was a good idea to remove the ability to add my childhood theme songs to playlists, because that feature is blocked) and it would also have to exclude the idiots who knowingly spread anti-science and trolling (just for the sake of wasting people's time and derailing every discussion into a dead end).

The purity of social networks and when search engines weren't filled with SEO garbage

Nowadays, searching on YouTube is like playing on 'Dante Must Die' mode.

A while ago, I tried to find video interviews of Quincy Jones and it was as if the site told me 'Fuck you and your specific searches. Watch what's trending right now instead.'

Then when he died last year, the algorithm bombarded me with so many videos of Q (even obscure and forgotten ones), which I had to pile up in my 'Watch Later' list and I still haven't finished watching them all.