TODAY
4 HN mentions · mentioned in 4 months, 2019–2023
2:12 · 671K views · Jun 13, 2014
A short compilation of NBC Today show clips from 1994-95 in which hosts and guests puzzle over the World Wide Web and email. It includes Bill Gates and the Today anchors.
Cited as nostalgic comedy and as an example of media hype and misunderstanding around new technology, often in comparisons to Web3.
4 comments from Hacker News
People forget how hyped the internet was circa 1996-2000. During the early days, one of the most popular sites was a web cam pointed at a coffee mug [0] and a webcam pointed at a "lifecaster" showing her everyday life [1]. Email was confusing and misunderstood [2]. Startups were laughed at when they said you would buy pet food online [3] or pay your parking tickets online [4]. Both are so commonplace now as to barely be worth mentioning. You absolutely could be right. Maybe cryptocurrency and the surrounding technology is a fad or hype without any substance but you're making an assumption that the rollout of cryptocurrency adoption should follow the same schedule as dot.com startups. For a point of reference, Linux was created circa 1991 [5] with the GNU project started in 1983, giving about a decade or two, depending on where you start, from "widespread" Linux/FOSS adoption. You're stating that "there has been no real value, produce, or worth created here" bluntly without really backing it up. There are plenty of products and use cases, just none that you would consider valid. People use cryptocurrency to purchase goods and services, just not the ones you might find valid. People use cryptocurrency to support organizations they favor, just not organizations you might favor. People are using cryptocurrency to explore different social media models, just not models you would find valid. My plea is in line with the HN terms of service. Please have curious conversation. Molly Whi
The Today show was talking about the internet and e-mail in 1994 and 1995. There's video: this video The Today show was the top rated news program in its timeslot in this era with 6.3 million viewers [1]. They even display and talk about their e-mail address (at ge.com!) even though they clearly had no idea what it really meant (not uncommon for morning TV). [1] [LINK]
I was looking for an old video of Tom Brokaw interviewing Gates and Schmidt, and found this. For a little laugh and innocent nostalgia: Flashback! The Internet In 1995 this video I watched that clip and my inner monologue was all "Oh my sweet summer child, what do you know of 'The Internet'? "
The Internet went from exceedingly obscure to global in the ten years of the 1990s. This reminds me of the infamous Today show segment circa 1994. this video