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Before Facebook and Twitter, we did analogue social networking with paper and pen

Tonight I’m going to a school reunion. Almost unbelievably, it’s 25 years since year 12 in 1988.

To mark this occasion I’ve dug out something even older than that.

Once upon a time, before Facebook and Twitter, we couldn’t write on each others’ Walls or send a Tweet. On occasion in class, we’d pass a piece of paper around instead and write notes on it.

Here is one that survived, from July 1986.

Analogue Facebook wall, from a class in July 1986

As you can see, the chatter amongst myself and my friends at aged 15 was pretty moronic — a mix of tech talk (if you think the Mac/PC/Linux debate is heated, that was nothing on Commodore/Spectrum/Amstrad), Monty Python quotes and personal insults.

I don’t know if any of the other participants in this page of silliness are around and reading my blog… Most are referred to by initials only, so if they wish they can out themselves if they do happen to see this.

By Daniel Bowen

Transport blogger / campaigner and spokesperson for the Public Transport Users Association / professional geek.
Bunurong land, Melbourne, Australia.
Opinions on this blog are all mine.

7 replies on “Before Facebook and Twitter, we did analogue social networking with paper and pen”

Groan! And that’s from a class of high achievers.
Amazing that you still have it. Great!

That’s awesome!!
I was in year 7 in 2000. Writing in school diaries (vandalising them the teachers would say) was big in my time! I still have my diaries. OMG the shit we used to write!!!!!

Was a graffitti whiteboard in grade 5, was removed after someone wrote swearwords one night on it.

I never used to like people writing on my diary as I did not have many friends in high school and the people who did write stuff wrote nasty things.

Wow, I was in the grauating class of 1999 at MHS. We used to do some of that too. Mostly diaries. I noticed the Chinese characters on the top, although the year might be a bit wrong in the Chinese version (seems one year less compared to the English/numerical year)
Any Chinese friends in your class, in your year?
I am Taiwanese by the way, which was why I recognised the Chinese. LOL

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