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I think one of the interesting "alternatives" to the internet is the concept of the "sneaker net." Before people start thinking about spies, the sneaker net is based on the concept that sometimes it is cheaper and faster to simply physically transfer data. IE UPS/FEDEX a while computer or a hard drive. When you look at the numbers, its pretty interesting. You can move data a whole lot faster (albeit with greater latency) by physically moving it. And at large enough scales, it is actually *cheaper*!
And of course, I remember playing "strip poker" on a text mode BBS. Gotta love ANSI graphics. Hilarious!
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