General Discussion

Ms. Toad

(38,879 posts)

58. Thinking back on when I did my masters degree -

Sun Feb 3, 2019, 02:01 PM

Feb 2019

I would have bought it between 1979 and 1983 - likely closer to 1983. I fairly quickly replaced it with the Commodore 64. We used the Commodore 64 past 1989, when I left the school district. (It was an inner city school with not much money. We convinced them to spring for half as many Commodord 64s and TVs as there were students in the class.

But as to being ahead or behind the curve - I was speaking generally, not specific to the Commodore lines. At the time (mid-late 80s) I knew virtually no one else with a home computer - and far fewer on the internet (Cleveland Freenet, then shortly later QuantumLink - with a lifetime membership that converted to a lifetime AOL membership)

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I have never owned a cellphone..curious, what year did they become a necessity? [View all] jodymarie aimee Feb 2019 OP

1997 aeromanKC Feb 2019 #1

My first "non-smart phone" was one I got in the late 90s from AAA. Miles Archer Feb 2019 #53

When they became "smart phones" and we could surf the 'net donkeypoofed Feb 2019 #2

My niece insisted on not bringing one when she went to college in 2001. It wasn't a necessity. pnwmom Feb 2019 #3

Not everyone has a 9-5 desk job, but everyone must be connected... CottonBear Feb 2019 #4

Yes many companies started issuing Blackberries to executives about 20 years ago FakeNoose Feb 2019 #34

Whenever it was that they became cheap enough for everyone to have one. GoCubsGo Feb 2019 #5

When it became necessary for every aspect of our daily lives to become known to retread Feb 2019 #6

It became a necessity for me around 2000 - maybe late 90s. nini Feb 2019 #7

I didn't get one until 2016, and only because my daughter got it for me. vsrazdem Feb 2019 #8

1992 is when I got my first one. littlemissmartypants Feb 2019 #9

Yeah same here, 1992, have had the same # since. Was $1 in/out a min for calls. n/t EX500rider Feb 2019 #50

1993 our first phones. Were not quite as big as a 2-way radio. 😆 sprinkleeninow Feb 2019 #54

Mid 00's when they started pulling out the pay phones. Afromania Feb 2019 #10

That's my measure, too - Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #33

Same here; when it became impossible to find a public phone. politicaljunkie41910 Feb 2019 #42

The big jump in ownership was after 9/11 Recursion Feb 2019 #11

Um, maybe 15, 20 years ago krispos42 Feb 2019 #12

I was a traveling salesman for 35 years. sellitman Feb 2019 #13

I have a flip phone. I am a librarian essme Feb 2019 #14

Everyone who works for me needs a smartphone crazycatlady Feb 2019 #18

The year my daughter demanded I get one so she could call me.... lindysalsagal Feb 2019 #15

Early 2000s. I think 9/11 and Smartphones really changed the "need" factor aikoaiko Feb 2019 #16

Maybe earlier (the 90s) if you lived in SF, NYC, or DC. aikoaiko Feb 2019 #40

I got my first in 2000 crazycatlady Feb 2019 #17

All of the above. Polly Hennessey Feb 2019 #19

I go by my pregnancies... Books_Tea_Alone Feb 2019 #20

Whenever the payphone stopped treestar Feb 2019 #21

2000 - having a cell phone saved me from being prosecuted. Quemado Feb 2019 #22

When everybody else had one customerserviceguy Feb 2019 #23

I got my first one, a big brick phone, in 1992. MineralMan Feb 2019 #24

For me it was about 1996, when my younger son PoindexterOglethorpe Feb 2019 #25

Not a necessity but it helps underpants Feb 2019 #26

Smart phones became a necessity shortly after owning a personal computer stopbush Feb 2019 #27

I owned a personal computer in the late 80s, Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #31

I'd say you were an early adopter and ahead of the curve. stopbush Feb 2019 #37

Ahead of the curve on computers Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #41

A Vic 20 in the late 80's was definitely behind the curve Polybius Feb 2019 #52

Thinking back on when I did my masters degree - Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #58

1993 DBoon Feb 2019 #28

Ah......that's not good. I'm lucky to have what amounts to the opposite set-up. WillowTree Feb 2019 #66

We shared a single phone Ms. Toad Feb 2019 #29

2002 for me. Adrahil Feb 2019 #30

For me, it was 2003. MoonchildCA Feb 2019 #32

If you leave your home for any reason I deem it a necessity. Early 90's I would say. nt UniteFightBack Feb 2019 #35

I got my first one a little over 20 years ago. DFW Feb 2019 #36

About 2005 for me liberal N proud Feb 2019 #38

We've got one we share between us. If I make 1 call a month it's a miracle. Vinca Feb 2019 #39

While out driving (especially road trips) and riding alone on the bike path... SMC22307 Feb 2019 #43

I got my first one in 1993 MurrayDelph Feb 2019 #44

2003 for me kimbutgar Feb 2019 #45

Got one early this century, but seldom used it until 2010 or so. nocoincidences Feb 2019 #46

2015 for me and I didn't buy it myself. 65 here. GemDigger Feb 2019 #47

I got my first cell phone shortly after 9/11 living in NYC. smirkymonkey Feb 2019 #48

We got ours in around 2000. luvs2sing Feb 2019 #49

1998 lark Feb 2019 #51

I was a hold out at 2004. peacefrogman Feb 2019 #55

My job issued an iphone and made it mandatory to use sometime around 2010 Mabel Feb 2019 #56

Do you still use a landline? I don't know anyone with a landline in their house anymore. PTWB Feb 2019 #57

We have one. StatGirl Feb 2019 #60

Convenience vs necessity StatGirl Feb 2019 #59

For me, when I realized that the landline phone I still had was essentially obsolete. ooky Feb 2019 #61

I resisted getting a cell phone for years NastyRiffraff Feb 2019 #62

I got my first in 2008-- it was flip phone. yewberry Feb 2019 #63

I didn't start really using one until 2013 Downtown Hound Feb 2019 #64

About the same time the telephone booth disappeared Brother Buzz Feb 2019 #65

Probably the year I saw one of our local derelicts talking to himself while holding an empty hand to Hekate Feb 2019 #67