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You must have had access to a different internet than I did. That is not and has never been true.
The only way for everyone to be 'equal on the internet' (whatever that means) is to throw away or disregard everything that makes each of us unique, and all that leaves us with is a homogeneous beige sludge.
The only thing I know about you is that you call yourself, “basscomm” and unless I go digging (something that I couldn’t have done in the era of the BBS) then I’d have no way of judging your character before reading the words that you speak.
If there was discrimination it was because you didn’t contribute, or you opened the discussion. Doxxing in the 90s wasn't a meaningful risk, and social networks were small and largely isolated.
the condescension here is palpable. as if you know more? thanks for your sacrifice: enlightened one.
Didn’t like where you were, there was always somewhere else to go and a new name to take.
Getting access to the internet was a major issue for the poor (a situation I have first-hand experience in)- but once you were in, you were part of the club. Unless you behaved poorly- then you had to make a new name for yourself somewhere else.