I can’t upvote this comment enough. It really speaks to something I’ve felt for so long about AOL. You are right that it was a different Internet, one where we teens could make mistakes while coming of age on a new communications medium without lifelong consequences we see so many young people fall into now. AOL got me into programming and tech in general. I also met some great people who, despite perhaps never meeting them face-to-face, made an impact on the person I came to be. It’s a shame that nearly all of those relationships ended, but it is what it is. I love when stories like this pop up once in a while because it feels good being reminded that I’m not alone in my experiences.