This site (via things) reminded me of my previous life as an internet pioneer. (I especially remember presenting at an internet conference in 95/96 with a little line at the bottom of a chart saying 'How many divisions has Ivan Pope?', possibly the smallest, most obscure joke ever.)
One big moment was gathering in a boardroom at Sun's offices in London. There were all kinds of UK internet gurus gathered there, in hushed expectation, not quite sure what we were going to see. There was a little bit of blather, then they loaded a webpage and this little character appeared on the screen and STARTED WAVING. We couldn't believe it. It was astonishing. character appeared on the screen and STARTED WAVING. We couldn't believe it. It was astonishing. 
(I still don't know enough about Java to actually make it wave here.) Living through the mass arrival of the internet was strange. My son will look at me in complete bemusement when I talk about dialling up. And he'll probably never hear that strange logging-on, hand-shaking sound you used to get out of a modem.
I think I may have organised that event! Was it this one http://scout.wisc.edu/Projects/PastProjects/NH/95-03/95-03-08/0001.html ? Although I can't see your name in the programme I'm sure you were there. Maybe it was the next one, in 96 (for which I can't find a programme). We did have a man from Hotwired come over to explain to us his latest weeze for making money from the internet: banners ads! Anyway. I like your weblogs very much, as I said here: http://www.bowblog.com/archives/000718.html
Posted by: Steve Bowbrick | May 18, 2004 at 01:46 PM
Steve! good grief, blast from the past, etc. You probably did organise that event. You seemed to organise everything else. And thanks for the lovely comments about the blogs. We should enjoy a greasy spoon sometime.
Posted by: russell | May 18, 2004 at 02:57 PM
Well, it may have been the smalles, most obscure joke to you, but to me it meant a lot and I remember it well, the warm glow of recognition - and also a Pope joke that I hadn't heard before ... cheers.
Ivan (Pope)
I note that Bowbrick got here before me ...
Posted by: Ivan Pope | May 23, 2004 at 02:43 PM
Ivan! hello. blimey, it's like a 90s reunion thing. 'I love 1996'. Glad you liked the joke all that time ago.
Posted by: russell | May 28, 2004 at 02:30 PM