The good old days before google were dark and involved horses

The good old days before google were dark and involved horses is a slightly tongue in cheek essay about being a fan in the early 2000s and the impact that technology, including Google had on the fannish experiences. It was written by seperis on March 20, 2010 and is reposted on Fanlore with permission.
The post has 310 comments.
==Similar Essays/Posts==
* Reminisce With Me (2008)
* The good old days before google were dark and involved horses (2010) 
* Fandom 1994-2000-ish (2012)
* Memories by vass (2012)
* A brief history of fandom, for the teenagers on here who somehow think tumblr invented fandom (2014)
* Was Fanfic Any Different in the Olden Days? (2015)
* The three generations of fanfic (2015)
* I feel like fandom generations are both very specific and easily conflated. (2018)
* Historical trends in fanfiction? (2019)
* What were popular things writers used to do in their fanfics that have pretty much faded away. (2022)
==The Essay==
==Fannish Reactions==
Seperis' essay stirred up many memories and generated much interest which is reflected in the multiple comments on her LJ post. A selection of the longer discussion threads have been broken out below into rough thematic categories. Note that there may be overlap in some of these threads/discussions. Click on the links below to read further. Go to the original post to read all comments.
*It is funny cause it's true by laura shapiroWebCite for laura's thread.
*You knew that Bindlestitch was where the wicked Due South fans went by viggorlijahWebCite for viggorlijah's thread.
*One word: Usenet by patk WebCite for patk's thread.
*the abandoned WIP by mischief5 WebCite for mischief5's thread.
*...and Torrents was a description of what happened if it rained a lot by wolfling WebCite for wolfling's thread.
*"I will gladly use the services you give away while talking shit about you, because God knows I am owed all these things." by harriet_spy WebCite for harriet_spy irony impaired thread.
*Fandom has made us all early tech adopters and beta testers by apetslife WebCite for apetslife's thread.
* The huge, huge Stargate wanking. Sam/Jack vs Sam/Daniel by suzvoy WebCite for suzvoy's thread.
*You had to print slash in public places by starcrossedgirl WebCite for starcrossedgirl's thread.
* Sites which used frames were the height of fashion by rheanna27 WebCite for rheanna27's thread.
* Remember when people were excited about fanfiction.net? by inteligrrl WebCite for inteligrrl's thread.
*I still miss mailing lists as central places by ratcreature (and her fandom nostalgia post and poll) WebCite for ratcreature's thread; WebCite for her nostalgia post; WebCite for her nsitalgia poll.
* Joining fandom-specific mailing lists on Onelist by destina WebCite for destina's thread.
* When everyone had a hotmail address and Netscape was the best browser EVER by emmuzka WebCite for emmuzka's thread.
* Those halcyon days when I received massive mailing list digests in my mailbox by rishabree WebCite for rishabree's thread.
* Getting at the porn required commitment; Age Statements by ladysorka WebCite for ladysorka's thread.
*You discovered slash when someone handed you a Star Trek fanzine by naughtyoldlady WebCite for naughtyoldlady's thread.
*Back when RPS was Popslash by dineR WebCite for dine's thread.
* When link lists on personal sites and archives were like roadmaps by tassosss WebCite for tassosss's thread.
*Amothea's Angst Archive by amotheaWebCite for amothea's thread.
* Writing incest!fic in QAF and OH GOD DID HELL RAIN DOWN by spaggel webCite for spaggel's thread.
* The erotic adventures of Willow and Spike by amireal WebCite for amireal's thread.
* Fanfiction was how I got into shows not the other way around by amegoddess WebCite for amegoddess' thread.
*Floppy Discs by birdsflying WebCite for birdsflying's thread.
*nifty.org by ninamalfoy WebCite for ninamalfoy's thread.
* Age statements on steroids: sending copies of gov issued IDs to gain access by ciaan WebCite for ciaan's thread.
*Warnings on yaoi webpages by elspethdixon webCite for elspethdixon's thread.
* The crazy ass anime fandom WebCite for crazy ass anime thread.
==WebCite Links==
Category:2010 Meta
Category:Meta on Journal Sites
Category:Social Media Feature-Meta Monday