Internet in Williams Lake for 20 years cause for celebration

In September 1994, I received a phone call from a Rodni Binder from Kamloops.

Editor:

In September 1994, I received a phone call from a Rodni Binder from Kamloops asking me if I was interested in bringing the Internet to Williams Lake.

Of course my first question was what is the Internet?

He proceeded to explain and I was definitely intrigued.

I got set up with an account out of Kamloops through dial up and started using the Internet with amazement.

Back then, the Internet was text only in black and white but was promising to be much more. In the month of October, I received my phone bill from BC Tel and it totalled more than $800 due to all the long distance.

By November, I put my order into BC Tel for a five megabit fibre line.

In the first week of January 1995, Rodni Binder and I set up a show and tell at the Overlander Hotel on the subject of the Internet and connectivity through dial up and it took Williams Lake by storm.

By March of 1995 the Internet connectivity was in and I started to sign customers up to my local dial up for April 1, 1995.

Many changes have come and gone with regards to how the Internet was being used going from black and white text to what you find now such as video conferencing with friends and family, using Skype to watching weekly television series and much, much more.

Is the Internet good or bad?

As with everything, you can find both good and bad, but you do have considerably more access to worldly knowledge and it is your choice which way to use it.

I introduced the Internet to Williams Lake and I feel responsible for doing so.

I hope that the future will direct the Internet towards a great and useful direction instead of leading everyone down a darker path.

This is Nick Sardy at the Computer Access Centre logging off.

Nick Sardy

Williams Lake

Williams Lake Tribune