Vex Appeal

The first time I went on the internet

I remember the first time I ever went on the internet. It was at the “Information Superhighway” exhibition at The Science Museum, back in 1995, when I was 8. That’s right. An exhibition about the internet.

I was reminded of this formative experience thanks to a tweet the other day:

I even managed to find some photos!

And there’s a write-up of the exhibition in the TES:

Surfing has always been associated with bleached and bronzed Baywatch types, who strut their stuff on some far-off beach. But now anyone, from computer nerd to Mr Universe, can ride the big one without risking life or limb. This is thanks to the Internet where “surfing” is computer-speak for browsing on the information superhighway.

But don’t worry if you still haven’t cruised the superhighway or taken part in what has become a boom leisure industry for techno-hippies, you are not alone. And although the information superhighway was mentioned 92 times in national broadsheet newspapers in 1993 and 1,379 times in 1994, making it one of the hottest topics of discussion in the media, opinions are divided. Is the Internet the superhighway? Will the superhighway ever exist and will it make any difference to your life when it does?

I don’t know, 1995, you tell me.

I remember sitting at one of the computers, and in the bookmarks there were links to the Science Museum website, NASA website, and probably a few others. But the one that stood out was something like “Dave’s Totally Useless Website.” It was just a random bunch of jokes and trivia. Prominently featured was “The Big Red Useless Button.” When you clicked it, nothing happened.

Nothing! This was the most subversive, anarchic thing my 8-year-old brain could possibly imagine. Normal life, as I understood it, didn’t allow for intentionally useless things. But here, at Surf City, on the Information Superhighway, it seemed like you could do whatever you damn well pleased.

I thought it was crazy. And you know what? I still do!