CompuServe has closed its doors after 40 years of online service.
Never heard of it? Not surprising. CompuServe started life in 1969 as a computer service in Cleveland, Ohio for Golden United Life Insurance. It was built to help them with computing issues and they rented out time on their computers to other people looking for computing power. By 1980 they sold the company to H&R Block who was looking to diversify their off-tax season earnings, and that was when things really took off. (The ad picture to the right is from 1980, click on it to read the whole thing and read about this thing they called “Email”…)
In the mid-1980′s as more computers popped up in homes, such as the Commodore 64 and Apple IIc, more people began to get modems and they decided to try out this service that allowed you to do things with your computer outside of the home. This was the first experience for many people with the world of online computing, including myself. (71211,2513 was my member number)
CompuServe quickly gave us a hint of what was to come from the Internet in the future:
Online shopping – They had a shopping mall of big name retailers.
CB Simulator – Chat rooms in a very early form.
Forums – Message boards for just about any interest.
The services popularity waned in the mid-1990′s as regular Internet access became more prevelant, and AOL rose to power. In the end, AOL actually finally ended up purchasing their competition and it just got quieter and quieter with each passing year. There hadn’t even been a new version of the connection software since the late 1990′s, so it’s surprising to learn it really was even still in existence.
CompuServe was where I cut my teeth in the online world, first logging on in September 1986. It prompted me to buy my first scanner, a Logitech handheld black & white that you had to drag over a picture by hand very slowly. I spent many late nights trying 20 – 30 times to get my Commodore 64′s 9600 baud modem to connect to their server, with that blasted beeping/hissing sound coming out like the worst sound in the world.
Those were the days, and I owe it a lot: for giving me a taste of what was to come, and even making some friends in those forums that I have to this day. So long, CompuServe, you were a dear friend.
