20 Computer Firsts That'll Take You Back

Prepare for nostalgia overload in 3... 2... The past has its place, but it's time to rethink the future of portable computing. Introducing Samsung's new Series 9 notebook, the world's slimmest and sleekest 15-inch laptop.

1.

The first time you opened your mailbox and saw an...

America Online CD

Dain Binder / CC BY-ND http://2.0 / Flickr: dainbinder

Also known as "the last time you ever had to buy a drink coaster."

2.

The first time you heard the soothing beeps and boops of a...

Dial-Up Modem

3.

The first time you explored...

Microsoft Encarta

Daniel Oines / CC BY http://2.0 / Flickr: dno1967b

Alas, after the advent of Wikipedia this catch-all of mid-90s information only lives on as a novelty Twitter account.

4.

The first time you saw...

After Dark's Flying Toaster Screensaver

5.

Or the...

Windows 3D Maze Screensaver

6.

Or this...

3D Pipes Screensaver

7.

The first time you messed around in...

MS Paint

In this town don't we love / CC BY http://2.0 / Flickr: hallowtween

Back before our $3000 desktops became dedicated Cat Video Machines.

8.

The first time you surfed the web with...

Netscape Navigator

Via upload.wikimedia.org

Oh you know, just visitin' my peeps on Friendster, trollin' around on Angelfire, playin' games on Shockwave, no biggie.

9.

The first time you spent an entire afternoon playing...

SkiFree

Chuck Grimmett / CC BY-SA http://2.0 / Flickr: cagrimmett

Spoiler alert: nobody ever outruns the yeti.

10.

Or playing...

Number Munchers

Danny / CC BY http://2.0 / Flickr: acidwashphotography

Edutainment: disguising education as fun since 1988.

11.

Or playing...

Oregon Trail

Mollye Knox / CC BY-SA http://2.0 / Flickr: mollyeknox

Everyone died of dysentery.

12.

Or the first time you explored your Windows 95 CD and found...

Weezer's "Buddy Holly" Video

Also in the fondly-remembered "Fun Stuff" folder: the trailer for Scottish historical drama Rob Roy. Not in the "Fun Stuff" folder: an audience that actually wanted to go and see Rob Roy.

13.

Remember when your first wallpaper was this...

"Sky" Wallpaper

Honou / CC BY http://2.0 / Flickr: honou

Before you changed it to a 640x480 Bitmap of the cast of Friends, of course.

14.

Or when you stumbled across your first...

Internet Meme

youtube.com

The first of many.

15.

How about when you first mastered a keyboard with the help of...

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing

Kiran Foster / CC BY http://2.0 / Flickr: rueful

Did you know that there's a very well-written Tumblr dedicated to Mavis Beacon fan-fiction? Now you do.

16.

Or when you made your first...

GeoCities Fansite

secretlondon123 / CC BY-SA http://2.0 / Flickr: secretlondon

Ahh, the good old days, where your site was only as good as the "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" .gifs and overbearing MIDIs playing in the background.

17.

Remember when you saw your first...

Animated .GIF

Via tumblr.com

Still relevant.

18.

Or the first time you...

Copied That Floppy

Back when Internet piracy had a funky-fresh hip-hop flair.

19.

How about when you burned your first...

Mix CD

Josh Smith / CC BY-SA http://2.0 / Flickr: joshsmith

Let's be honest -- you were way too lazy to write out a proper track list.

20.

Or the first time you met your former nemesis...

Clippy

J. Albert Bowden II / CC BY http://2.0 / Flickr: jalbertbowdenii

NEVER FORGET.

The past has its place, but now it's time for the future...

The New Samsung Series 9

Introducing the new Samsung Series 9. At just 0.58 inch thin, you’ll rethink size. With a 9.1-second boot time, you’ll rethink speed. And with its head-turning design, you may just rethink your loyalties. Rethink the laptop at Samsung.com/series9.