It was 1979 and I was fifteen years old.
I remember staring at the magazine in pure lust.
I turned page after page, gawking at the pictures and wishing I could have what was on them.
You would think the pictures would have been enough, but I also read every word.
I knew that this was something I would be willing to spend my money on. This was worth saving for.
$500 may have seemed like a lot of money, especially when minimum wage was only $2.65/hour, but at the young testosterone-laced age of fifteen I was up to the challenge.
Now before you go judging me, realize that this was not an ordinary teenage boy fantasy.
This was special.
As I turned the pages of the Radio Shack catalog and drooled over the pictures of the TRS-80 Model I with 4k of smokin' hot RAM, I could only think one thought... I have GOT to have one!
Once I finally had saved enough for this "dream machine" I remember my mother asking me "what are you going to do with a computer?"
Needless to say, I believe she now has the answer. In fact, she has come to depend on the Internet for so many things.
I remember dialing into BBSes on my 300 baud modem thinking it was the coolest thing ever.
Technically I have dialing into online services for over thirty years. Wow, I feel old.
Fast-forward to 2010 and see just how far technology had come.
I am sitting on a beach on the island of Oahu, soaking up rays with my wife and enjoying some downtime.
This blog entry? It is being written in the palm of my hand via my iPhone 3GS.
What was once only stuff of science fiction stories has become a reality.
We are connected to a global network of computers and use handheld devices to perform a number of ubiquitous functions.
Email, web browsing, photo and video sharing, text messaging, entertainment and even making phone calls from remote locations. It's all part of where technology has brought us.
This is one of the things I love most about having an Internet business. I can work from absolutely anywhere.
And in spite of the troubles in our economy, I still believe the online biz opportunity is still a viable model for anyone wanting to generate additional revenue streams.
There are no guarantees in life, but you'll never know if you don't try.
I can promise you this. If you don't attempt to do business online you won't make any money online. You have to deliver a product or service that brings enough value that people will be willing to pay for it.
The rest is up to you. How much effort you put into your business is your decision.
Want to generate traffic to your sites? There a numerous ways to do it. But it will take time and perhaps some money to get the results you desire.
Regardless, it will cost you far less than most traditiona offline businesses.
As part of my desire to help as many people as possible I have dramatically lowered the price on some resources I believe you will find very helpful as you seek to build your online biz.
What are your thoughts on where technology is headed? Do you see yourself leveraging technology to build your own online business?
I'd love to read your comments!
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
February 7, 2010 3:39 PM
You are right Comm. Internet has come a long way. I enjoyed your book "Click here to order". Isn't the competition increasing on the internet?
February 7, 2010 4:41 PM
Thanks for the memories Joel. I also learned on a TRS-80, then the mighty Atari 800!
Technology produces tools that can improve our lives and businesses. But, there are plenty of ways to "tinker" with technology and waste time or increase stress.
I'm leveraging technology to provide my business knowledge to others in a time-efficient and cost-efficient manner.
Aloha,
Steve
February 7, 2010 4:52 PM
Joel,
looks like there are exist only 2 playing Teams online:
small group of those ones who promise to teach how to make money online and the huge army of dreamer who pay for their promise.
I think all the time about this situation. Millions of dreamers pay Millions of Dollars without understanding that they will never make any money.It's a huge unfairness!
And one more thing.
I never seen any Guru who is selling non "how to make money online" products. Probably, this is the best place to shot fish for those one who know how to do this, right? All these stories about Gurus making money in the Niche Marketing are nothing but fairy tales.
Are you agree?
February 7, 2010 6:31 PM
Joel:
I love this story. I remember in 1987 when I was a court reporter, a few of us girls in the office purchased a new computer system that was cutting edge. I remember my boss saying to us that in a short time you are going to tell me that the system is not fast enough.
It is true that technology has come a long way.
February 7, 2010 6:40 PM
There are a lot of internet business provider mail to us for giving us
technical methode in payment of money but you rendering your technical methode free
February 7, 2010 6:55 PM
That was a long time ago and technology has moved fast. There is opportunity. People buy no matter what the economic cycle is. Christmas where I work, every afternoon facebook & shopping with the girls. One has to find a need and fill it. Or be of assistance to others and be compensated. I have found great value in AdSense Premeir and the Secret Classroom.
Thanks Joel,
Aloha
February 7, 2010 8:05 PM
It was a good read :-)
February 8, 2010 1:43 AM
Excellent read!
I started out a tad later, on a old IBM AT 8086 with 512k of RAM, what a beast! (I think it booted faster than my new dual-core whadyamacallit though...)
It took me more than a year to make a single cent online, but that time was well spent, learning about different marketing methods and finally beginning to understand just how different offline and online marketing methods are.
Thank you Joel for your informative blogs, it's always fun to read what the "old" hands are thinking! If only I found your information years ago, I would have been much further with my online career. As it stands, I've found a balance between online and offline and think that's a rather under-estimated niche for many service providers lime myself.
Have fun at the beach and remember the sun block!
February 8, 2010 6:12 AM
Joel,
I can relate to your story...I always wanted one of those "revolutionary" $100 Timex Sinclair computers when I was a pre-teen kid. Then one day my grandfather bought it for me with a 32k ram pack and tape recorder to save my data. I was in my glory. Within a month I figured out how to program a simple animation of a stickman running across the screen. Those were the days. Now I play a similar game on my iPhone...go figure! LOL
February 8, 2010 6:22 AM
In 1995, I was in my 40's. My pastor wanted to bring the church office into the computer age. There was a job opening but the requirement was the applicant had to have computer skills. I convinced him and the church board to hire me. I promised I would work free for two months. If I hadn't learned the basic skills I need by that time, they could hire someone else, no hurt feelings on my part.
I ended up working there seven years. I helped computerize all the database and financials. I created the first newsletter and website for the church. Except for a few classes, I am self-taught. Pastor used to say that I was the only person he'd ever known that actually read all those thick computer program manuals
I have been selling on ebay since 1999 and blogging for about three years. Now I am trying to learn how to make websites create income for me. There are not enough hours in the day for everything I want to do.
I would give up television and phone service before I would give up my computer.
Joel, thank you for all you have done to help me get started.
February 8, 2010 6:27 AM
I started with a Sinclair and a cassette deck for memory storage, wrote everything in basic. A small b@w tv for a monitor. Graduated to a Tandy 2 disk floppy machine, then an 8086 with a HARD DRIVE! Remember how small programs were then? Now the sky is the limit. I can stock trade on the beach now and pay for my vacation. Well, not this week...
February 8, 2010 6:35 AM
Anxious to begin selling goods & services from my yard!!?:-))
Need help setting up website....>>
Raslandaz
February 8, 2010 6:44 AM
Inspiring post! The internet and computers have come a long way, I wonder where this all will lead.What will the internet and computer be like in 2025? I remember my first website in 2001 looked horrible in today´s standards, but there is a niche for everyone online if people are ready to give it a try.
February 8, 2010 6:53 AM
Technology has come a long way,... and if reports are anything to go by? We might all just go ahead and start praying to stay young and intelligent! ..of course that is not going to happen. To joel an dall the other guys out there, trying to improve other people's lives..i say Thank you.
February 8, 2010 7:01 AM
Joel,
I'm still stuck on the fact that you wrote this post on your iPhone! I LOVE my iPhone... but a blog post?? You're certainly ambitious -- or sitting on a beach in Hawaii with nothing else to do!!
In 1988, when I first went to college, My Dad made sure I was housed in "the dorm of the future," the only dorm on campus where every room had a computer. I remember hearing the boys talk about this thing called "email" and I remember thinking, "That is SO ridiculous. I'm not bothering with all that nonsense. Just pick up the phone, people!"
Obviously I've come a long way since those days, but I can honestly say to this moment, I still have never drooled over a Radio Shack catalog in my life!
Enjoy your vacation with Mary.
Warmly,
Felicia Slattery
February 8, 2010 7:10 AM
Dang, I am getting old.. Thanks for reminding all of us Joel... :(
haha
February 8, 2010 7:21 AM
I am 63 years young, and at twenty four years of age (way back in 1970), I was in the fortunate position to be building mainframe computers in England. Those of us who were working in the electronics industry back then, knew that the rapidly developing electronics and computing industries were changing the world, although we could not possibly have imagined the details of today's technology.
The next forty years will bring ever more ongoing technology developments, plus will bring previously unimagined social and economic changes that will in no small part be driven by the developing technologies.
Although just as my colleagues and I back in 1970 could not possibly have imagined today's world, so we today also cannot possibly imagine what the world will be like in 2050.
February 8, 2010 7:23 AM
Thank you for kind call to visit and read your story;of course it is written nice,arising memories on past days when we were not complete aware of the all which would coming up over the years ahead.Now,i'm just thinking of far future where i should like to put myself by sending a nice message from a remote planet in Space,from a surrounding,which i believe should be more interesting than we live now.Regarding to computer and online communications i am late,but trying to make up for lost by fast paces.
February 8, 2010 7:47 AM
Thanks Joel for jogging my memory, I was equally 15 in 1979!!!!!!!!! but here we do not know what a computer is. Nevertheless we have done some catchup. One will think as a 15 year old dude you were preoccupied with what one see mostly on the beach- semi nude women of all shape. But technology has just begin we ain't seen anything yet. We were told that we are yet to invent our master pieces. So technology as a tool of leverage is what I really agree with you.
February 8, 2010 8:02 AM
glad to see your taking some time for yourself and the family. I bet you wish you still had that computer as a collectors item. I still think that the internet puts the small guy on a better playing field and with guys like you showing the way to stay current it's gotten easier to search for the right methods. Enjoy your trip and send more picture of the beach as were up to our eye balls in cold
February 8, 2010 8:05 AM
I have never once considered having or adding a bricks & mortar store to the Rizzo empire - not a chance. Not even when someone offered me a free storefront - it's just so much easier to be exclusively online.
February 8, 2010 8:06 AM
Talk about feeling old. I had to get out a calculator to figure that I was 30 years old when I got my first Mac in 1986. I went to three computer stores and asked the salesman which computer was the most user friendly and easiest to work. Each and every time they walked me over to the Mac Plus. My friends used to make fun of me and call my computer the "Crappy Mac." They have served me well over the years.
I remember starting out on the internet on 14,400 dial up. When I went to 18,800 I thought I was smoken!
As of about a year ago, I started a couple websites and am enjoying the building process. I'm looking forward to being an Infopreneur.
February 8, 2010 8:21 AM
I remember the TRS-80. As a matter of fact, we may have one of the original instruction booklets. The first computer we bought was no bigger than 8 x 10, with DOS, which meant taking a class to learn to program it to do simple things. There is no limit on where technology is headed. Anything is possible. It just depends on how much you want to pay for it. Online businesses weren't even heard of when I was growing up, but that has not stopped me from following my dream of having an online presence. Leveraging technology to build and improve my online business is ongoing. Thank you for sharing.
February 8, 2010 8:21 AM
Yip technology is moving at high speed. You buy yourself a new computer and 2 months later you can get a newer, better one and kick yourself for having paid what you paid for the object of desire because now it's cheaper because the new model is in.
I'll admit I'm not really a phone freak, I need something that's at least the size of a net book so I can see what I'm doing!
February 8, 2010 8:33 AM
Ah, it's fun to reminisce. I didn't have a TRS-80 as a kid, but a classmate did, and we were all super jealous. I'm just a year younger than you, Joel, and computer class in high school consisted of creating geometric shapes on the screen by typing a list of BASIC commands. And then backing up our work onto cassette tapes! The amazing things computers could do! LOL
When I bought my first Tandy from Radio Shack as an adult (I don't remember which model), I think I paid more for it than for our last vehicle. It didn't even HAVE a hard drive, but I thought it did, because the 3.5-inch disks were hard, as opposed to the 5.25-inch "floppies." :)
Here's a trip down memory lane for you:
http://digg.com/d3L7C
http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/extra_stuff.html
February 8, 2010 9:12 AM
Hi Joel,
I have some great memories about the 'OLD' Tech days, and my old Commodore 64 computer, programming in Basic, and later in Assembly language. What I miss more than anything is the tangible, physical Manuals that came with product. Now days one is forced to sift through hundreds of pages Online to get needed information.
I see in the future, we'll be able to get answers to questions much faster because computers will be able to think like their owners. Then later, a direct physical hook up to the brain. Man will have harnessed lightning bolts to power everything. Holographic 3D TV will be common place. Telephones will be implants. All this for the ones that can afford it. Unfortunately, I won't be here to see or enjoy those marvels, as they lurk well into the future and brain transplants into a cloned body will take man some time to perfect.
Advertising will be with us 'til doomsday. I am a newbie at online marketing and hopefully some day will be able to take a well deserved vacation like the one you are on now.
Enjoy, you lucky devil.
Your friend,
Andy - http://BestChoiceEbooks.com
February 8, 2010 9:30 AM
Just to let you know - I'm blogging also from the beach! Have been running my internet stores while traveling in an rv for close to 5 years now. So, yep, it can be done. I'm doing it small scale - but it keeps me traveling. What more can I ask for? As you post, the internet is still a viable way to make a living - with work and planning - it's doable.
February 8, 2010 9:30 AM
wow is so long time for make money
February 8, 2010 10:20 AM
Today was a great day to be a home-based Internet business owner as I made my way home from the gym in a snowstorm. The traffic was parked as far as I could see going the opposite direction. It would've taken most people 2 hours to get to downtown Denver for today's commute. But, I just went a few blocks back to my comfy home and fired up my computers to check the orders that came in while everyone else was in traffic. High speed Internet access doesn't know it's snowing. It always works and it's always on-time.
February 8, 2010 10:53 AM
Can you see me waving, Joel? I'm blogging on the beach in Kona. :-)
Ros
February 8, 2010 11:13 AM
Hi Joel,
Yes - Technology certainly has come along ways ... I remember when I was only 12, being in awe of my younger cousin who used his "Granpa`s" PC to program in B.A.S.I.C - So I saved 2 summers and got my own 286 PC (costing £1400 !!) with modem and grayscale VGA ... wicked happy days...
Now kids today using super computers the size of matchboxes playin other kids 10,000`s miles away in online games in realtime... The Future - I bet we all end-up in some sort of MATRIX - lol... Virtual business, products & relationships - between people that have never actually met in flesh... just my thoughts.. any takers out there.??
-- JD
February 8, 2010 11:25 AM
Ah, the good ole days... Commodore 64 with the cassette tape drive, programming COBOL on punched cards, then kicking butt with an Apple IIe. I have my great iPhone now and somewhere, amongst all my prized possessions, I still have my Apple Newton!
February 8, 2010 11:33 AM
Thanks Joel for sharing this nice little story with us.
I believe everyone of the marketing experts can remember
a day when they got into this computer online business.
My entry was one of the first personal home computers named
the ZX81 by Sinclair and then the color "highend" ;-) follower
called the ZX Spectrum and believe me or not, this computer
has still his place in case on my homefloor. Yes it's history,
but very nice to remember what's was the beginning of my PC
career...programming and games & music making stuff.
Today everything works faster with groundbraking technologies,
but it's also important to have the right ideas and this is
lets say the human factor ! Every technology is as much as good
like his users...we should never forget this !!!
But nevertheless all is bundle in a working process and the gobal
network helps the our internet business so much that I'm daily
impressed what this mean to be a world wide internet marketing guy.
And yes you're right it takes time and much work BUT it's sooo worth
to get into your own money making opportunity like working with guys
like you and the great GVO Team with these fantastic marketing tools.
I wish you all the best in the future and thousand thanks for your
thoughts and internet marketing guides !
Best regards, Gerry [ DJ GerryMK ]
----------------------------------
Cu on Youtube,Myspace or Facebook
February 8, 2010 12:26 PM
I'm writing this on my wonderful 2nd hand spectrum ZX.
I'm shocked to hear that there are faster computers out there.
No one told me that things had moved on ;-) and claims of emailing from a beach with something in your hand!!!! It can't be true, can it?
Joel, your better half told me that you still have a 'floppy drive', is this true?
Regards,
Ken.
February 8, 2010 1:15 PM
Oh yeah, the good ol' "Trash 80" as we fondly called them :) (Of course, we actually really liked them). I was a rebel - had to be different and got the TI-99/4a with it's hi-tech "peripheral expansion system", disk drive and added on the 48k extended memory module and machine language cart to boot! Ah, those were the days! :)
February 8, 2010 3:09 PM
WOW Joel, you have struck a cord and reminded me of such a good era. I was using a trash 80 in college at that time and supporting the nightly cycle of a bank on an NCR 300 mainframe with 64K of memory.
Thank You.
February 8, 2010 3:12 PM
Joel, I know what you're talking about. I've been working on computers since 1968! How's that for old? I have owned my own computer business, CowboyTech Computers, since 1984, and never get tired of working on them, doing web pages and doing my online stuff. At my tender age of 62, I still get up at 4:30 in the morning, and get started, and am often up until 10:00 at night.
Technology is my life! I have a total of 4 computers, and a workshop with at least 10 or more being worked on, and I love to read and study the latest tech info online and off. Keeps me young and active. Love it like crazy. And... you're right, the economy is never bad enough to stop people from making money on the internet. I do it every day.
February 8, 2010 3:29 PM
Ah yes, It seems like only yesterday.
February 8, 2010 4:01 PM
Hi Joel,
It wasn't too far past your first computer that one arrived in our home - an Osborne! Big ugly black box and it continued to be replaced with increasing rapidity by other computers until one day the Mac arrived - that's when I fell in love with technology.
best..............valentina
February 8, 2010 8:04 PM
Hi Joel,
My first was an Apple IIe, about 1989. I hated it. We replaced it with a Mac Classic, it originally had a 4Mb hard drive, but ours was upgraded to a massive 8Mb. Then came the 486 PC. When I got my Pentium 2 with the 3.2Gb Hard drive, I thought I was king. My how times have changed... I have nearly a Terrabyte of space now and it isn't enough. I just can't get used to the Palm Smart phone, but once again you've inspired me. I am determined to send a blog post by phone from a beach somewhere, sometime in the next 6 months.
Thanks again Joel, you rock!
--Dave
February 8, 2010 11:33 PM
With Joel Comm is where the real growth is in the New Economy, it's not Wall Street. No, it's right here with Joel Comm skills. Keep up the great work Joel Comm.
February 9, 2010 12:16 AM
That is an interesting history. I pray I will one day be successful like you
February 11, 2010 2:13 AM
Interesting article. Well can I ask one thing which is somewhat off topic. What is the price of iphone you are using now?