Guess what? We made it to FRIDAY!
If you stopped by yesterday, then you recall this week’s theme is the internets…in the year 2000! Eighteen years ago, the interwebs were a different place, as evident by America Online being the dominant Internet Service Provider of the time. At that point, it was not called AOL, and it was on version 6.0. The world used Instant Messenger, had Buddy Lists, and were greeted upon sign in by “You’ve Got Mail.” You knew the running man, and you loved when he arrived in the third box on the dial up screen.
Oh, and we had 56K modems. Try explaining to a kid what happened if you picked up the phone while on the internet.
In 2000, America Online may have been the dominating force of the interwebs, but a little butterfly was out there, trying to get your attention. He/she was the mascot of MSN, and they wanted to be your home on the interwebs.
Whoever you are…
And what ever you’re using the interwebs for…
MSN wants to be your home!
Click play to see it all unfold!
When I found this commercial, I started laughing at the MSN Messenger.
Move over, AOL Instant Messenger, here’s your competition!
I actually used this messenger many years later. It wasn’t bad.
Oh, and I also noticed this when I was taking the screenshot: Who eats dinner at 11:42 am?!
MSN launched on August 24, 1995 (the same day as Windows 95), and still exists today. The butterfly logo seen in the commercial was introduced in 2000, and flittered happily until 2009.
But in 2000, the butterfly was welcoming you home…
…and adopt the butterfly!
And there you have it, the interwebs as seen though the eyes of a service other than America Online. Although neither exist as an actual subscription-based service today, they’re both still largely in existence. And of course, the internet as we know it is a whole different place.
I miss the days of the internet being for more than just cat memes and social media, but I would never trade in YouTube and high speed internet for my old 56K modem anyday.
I’ll make that perfectly clear, 56K belongs in the past.
Anyway, thanks for visiting, have a great Flashback Friday, and a fantastic weekend!