saying goodbye to the internet

[quiet]

can you imagine having no access to the internet for an entire month, six months... or maybe even a year or two?

i used to be the biggest proponent of global wireless internet. lately i'm not quite so sure. as long as i'm in this biz, bring it on, but i'm actually looking forward to finally shutting down my laptop one day in the future (say in 2 years or so), and not going online for a truly extended amount of time.

i've been online every single day i can remember (even if only to check email) since 1996. the idea of leaving my laptops and the internet completely behind is.... i'm not even sure how i feel about it - it would be that profound of a change.

but i certainly look forward to it. anyone else know where i'm coming from? discuss

[MrJackMeHoff]

I could never do it. Even if I wasn't making money online I'd be compelled to "check in" as it were.

[Corleone]

living without the web?

[Living For Today]

Yeah there is certainly a feeling of withdrawl associated with leaving the comp behind for a while. I think the longest I have gone without using the comp in the last 5 or 6 years would only be a week. When the surf is good the computer comes 2nd ;)

[polish_aristocrat]

my access was fucked up last night for 3 hours

[Dawgy]

i suspect that when i leave this business i will decrease my internet time. however, i cant see ever leaving it for a year or more like you say. even in a mainstream business, private investing, etc., its just too handy of a way to do things and keep tabs.

then again maybe ill just go lay on a beach & sip margaritas for a year

[More Booze]

It would be good for me to stop using computers for a year or two but im addicted to it.
I feel that I need to checks stats, mail and stuff everyday.
If im away on a vaccation for 3-4 days it feels like a couple of weeks when im back..

[Paul Waters]

The withdrawl......


...........the horror......

[Sambo]

Its an addiction.....

I have to have a fix or I feel cut off from the world

[Poo-Chee]

No, I can't!

[sacX]

heading off to south america in a couple of weeks. Not taking a laptop or anything, will have to put business on autopilot as best i can.

Will be interesting to see how often i stop off at internet cafes and the like.

[AlienQ - BANNED FOR LIFE]

I thought about this Quiet.

Someday I know I will do exactly that.

Enjoy life man.

I was told by a very wise man in Hawaii once...

Ya shouldnt be infront of a computer unless your actually working and even then let the machines work for you.

I've thought about what he meant and its true. Unfortunatly I have not reached that plateu just yet.

Cheer's and good night.

[quiet]

Originally posted by Sambo
I have to have a fix or I feel cut off from the world

i know exactly how you feel.

[Pornwolf]

I have done it for a month once. It is strange the first few days then you start to realize there are so many things to do that don't involve a screen. Your social life improves dramatically. When you come back, if you come back, you are more well balanced.

You should have one of your more trustworthy workers handle the day to day then take a breather.

[quiet]

Originally posted by sacX
heading off to south america in a couple of weeks. Not taking a laptop or anything, will have to put business on autopilot as best i can.

Will be interesting to see how often i stop off at internet cafes and the like.

nice. this is what i'm talking about, but on a larger scale. i'm going to travel the entire world for a couple of years once this is done - extremely limited net access, and certainly won't be bringing a computer along.

[makefuckingmoney]

I dont think its wise at all..if you run a multi million dollar company.. why would you want to ignore it..even for 1 day..

Could be a domain notice that your domain is being deleted..haha

Chris

[fuzebox]

It's my connection to the rest of the world... When I go outside, watch TV, read the paper, talk to people... It feels so small and local. The internet is global, you're connected to something so much larger.

I have been offline for as long as a week (mostly when camping), and it feels pretty screwed up when I come back online and realized everything I missed.

Why idealize about not being online?

[sacX]

Originally posted by quiet


nice. this is what i'm talking about, but on a larger scale. i'm going to travel the entire world for a couple of years once this is done - extremely limited net access, and certainly won't be bringing a computer along.

Another thing, I actually find it a lot easier to think about business when I'm away from my PC (I don't mean away in the kitchen, but out of town with pretty much 0 access)..

Seems to be something about taking a full step back that gives more perspective.. too many distractions when access is easy

[quiet]

Originally posted by fuzebox
It's my connection to the rest of the world... When I go outside, watch TV, read the paper, talk to people... It feels so small and local. The internet is global, you're connected to something so much larger.

I have been offline for as long as a week (mostly when camping), and it feels pretty screwed up when I come back online and realized everything I missed.

Why idealize about not being online?

traveling the world (for example) is not idealizing. other than the odd cybercafe, that's it. regardless, most of my time online is always spend dealing with my business, besides fucking around her a bit. with no biz, i could live with out it (in a practical sense) for a very long time. psychologically, not so sure

[quiet]

Originally posted by sacX


Another thing, I actually find it a lot easier to think about business when I'm away from my PC (I don't mean away in the kitchen, but out of town with pretty much 0 access)..

Seems to be something about taking a full step back that gives more perspective.. too many distractions when access is easy

i completely agree. i spend a minimum of 2 hours out at a coffee shop each day, working offline. my most productive hours of the day. getting harder to find coffee shops without wireless though ;)

[Trax]

were all addicts
wherever i went in the past
whether it was NY, the bahamas or a small weekend vacation a few away from here
always had to check if i was able to connect to the net whenever i wanted to...

again
we are all addicts

[sacX]

Originally posted by fuzebox
I have been offline for as long as a week (mostly when camping), and it feels pretty screwed up when I come back online and realized everything I missed.

Why idealize about not being online?

For me it's the opposite. When I've had time offline, which granted isn't that often, i find it great to come back and see all the changes in stats, changes in traffic, new dramas, emailss. It's like the Internet went into hyperdrive because I get all this new info at once

an Internet powershot

[Manowar]

The internet is not only business, its entertainment, its news, its a lot of things and still growing. I like nothing better than sitting down with a laptop at a cafe and watching the world go by while i read the news in the morning on it and check whats happening in the world

[AWW - Kevin]

i spend close to 3 weeks without my pc or laptop when i went to
the soccer/football world cup in japan (2002)

i did visit internet cafes sometimes because i was to worried about what was going on. but i did love it too just partying, drinking watching soccer not a care in the world

[cayne]

never.
would be an awful-time. but if I could spend it with 100 hot chicks on hawaii, maybe :p

[Plan9]

My friends always used to joke about me being online all the time, until I started joking about the fact that they had to go to work everyday at jobs they hated. They didn't say much after that.

So I guess I see the internet as both a blessing and a curse. It can give you alot more freedom, but also end up seriously damaging your social life. I've had to be dragged off the computer by my friends more times than I'd care to admit

[BigFrog]

before march i had been 'offline' for almost 5 months. lots of things happen when you dont get online for a while....i know i was out and about there for a long time.....it was nice. but still, im glad to be back....even if only on a more limited scale. i dont eat and breathe the internet anymore like i use to....and i plan on keeping it that way.

[pornJester]

I would have no problems with leaving the Internet for a while if I wasn't doing business daily. While there's tons of info, entertainment and such online there's also tons of stuff offline that I want to experience.

[montel]

this is really, really addicitve. when i am not on here i am thinking about business. the thing is, i have noticed that when i'm not on for say a whole week on holiday, i do feel even healthier.

[Jer]

I did it like twice years ago (one week without internet access), when I come to Fortaleza met my girlfriend. I was a bit nervous about my site, but the feeling was quite good.

But again, months without being able to kiss my GF wouldn't let me think much.

[Jer]

Originally posted by AWW - Kevin
i spend close to 3 weeks without my pc or laptop when i went to
the soccer/football world cup in japan (2002)

i did visit internet cafes sometimes because i was to worried about what was going on. but i did love it too just partying, drinking watching soccer not a care in the world

God is Brazilian!

[Plan9]

Oh, and no discussion of internet addiction would be complete without mentioning mmorpgs (massive multiplayer online RPGs), like Everquest -- or as some people call it, Evercrack.

If you guys think you are bad, a couple years back I had two friends that would play Everquest for literally 15 hours a day on a regular basis...and at times would play for 2-3 days straight. One of them was in college on a full scholarship and ended up flunking out and moving back home; the other dropped out of high school. And you may remember a while back there was even a suicide that was allegedly caused by Everquest:
Mom says sons suicide cause by Everquest addiction

In Korea there have even been real life reprecussions for actions in game:
[Online] Killer gets his [real] ass kicked

Some characters kill other characters in what are known as PK (player killing) attacks. This can push gamers over the edge as their carefully nurtured character is destroyed in seconds, as Paek Jung Yul, a nerdy 18-year-old found. His character, a member of the Strong People Blood Pledge, ended up in a spot of PK that elicited a response he wasn't equipped to deal with.

Five large individuals, all with the uniform buzz-cuts that younger Gang-Pae - South Korean mobsters - are so fond of, arrived at Strong People's favourite PC Bang. They were looking for the "Wizard" - the character that had just wiped out one of their pledge members. Paek was dragged into a lavatory and given a heavy beating.

Anyway, being drunk and tired I'll wrap it up here and hit the sack. And if you actually bothered to read what I wrote, take solace and realize that no matter how bad you think your addiction is -- it could always be much, much worse
Now go outside and get some fresh air!

[jhauser]

I feel out of touch when my connection goes down or when I am in the car for a 10 hour road trip. I absolutely can not imagine how many issues not having the web would cause as so many transactions are now done through the web. Would this mean we would have to go back to mailing in bills?

[cool1]

I was without internet access for 2 months this summer.
and I really missd the net part of it.

Still ended up working on the computer, building sites for when I got back online.

Life was hell being without the net, very boring!

[slapass]

I was just unplugged for 12 days. I was in Brazil and yes Jer, god is Brazilian. But not having the computer was great! I had it setup for someone to watch stats and that failed so I had no clue as to how I was doing. The internet cafes totally suck for any serious work of even stat checking so I was cut off.

Guess what, some porn is even sexy looking and it was only 12 days. I pretty much just deleted 90% of the email that had come in while I was gone as very little was of importance. The servers stayed up and I had the best month I have ever had.

Looking to go back in May. Maybe do the whole month if I can find internet access and just live there for a bit. or 12 days unplugged again if i can't find it.

[chodadog]

What i love about the internet is information. If i'm interested in a topic, i can find a wealth of great info on the web, within a few minutes.

Just the other day, i wanted to find an article that James Connolly wrote. Search for James Connolly on google, and the very first result has it, along with all of his other published articles.

I couldn't live without the internet.

[Arousal Design]

There's no way in hell i could do that =)

I work through computers, I pay my bills through computers, I stay on top of current events through computers...

it's too much apart of my life =)

[Theo]

once in a while i take a week off, but everytime something happens that could have been prevented by being online.......

[eroswebmaster]

I know exactly what you're talking about.

[cluck]

I WILL GET OFFLINE WHEN I'M DEAD.

[Plan9]

One more thing...
The way I've heard addiction medicine specialists actually define the state of 'addiction' is:

"The continuance of an action even when adverse consequences arise"

I think that what most people are calling 'addiction' is actually just 'reliance'. The two are easily confused. You rely on the internet because its there every day. Its how you make your living. Its there for you whenever you need it, morning or night. Its natural that you'd miss it when you're away from it -- but after a couple days, it probably wouldnt even bother you...
But ask yourself if you really think you're addicted?

For example, if a loved one or family member told you they felt the internet was seriously affecting your relationship with them -- would you unplug it for a week at their request? a month?
...or, what if your friends asked you to go on a trip for a couple days; and you knew there would be no internet access the entire time?
...if none of these apply, replace them with something thats relevant to you and ask yourself what you'd do.


Maybe this is something Im just reading way too much into, but its a subject I have had alot of experience with...and itts becoming more and more prevalent as time goes on, but still widely misunderstood.

[Paul Markham]

One of the joys of our holiday in Thailand was never going on the Internet, not even to check GFY.

I'm off to England tomorrow and will be offline for 5 days, bliss.

Admittedly we have built a good crew who can look after the shop while we are away, but getting away is necersary to maintain sanity. Could never be like some people accessing the Net every day. Would send me crazy.

[Plan9]

Originally posted by chodadog
What i love about the internet is information. If i'm interested in a topic, i can find a wealth of great info on the web, within a few minutes.

Just the other day, i wanted to find an article that James Connolly wrote. Search for James Connolly on google, and the very first result has it, along with all of his other published articles.

I couldn't live without the internet.

Yeah...I actually stopped by the Library the other day to look up some information I couldn't find online for the life of me, and realized I couldn't even remember the last time I'd been there. Before the internet, It was rare for me *not* to go there 2-3 times a week to look stuff up.

[angeleyes]

When I go on vacations, I rarely take my laptop... However, at home--It is connected 24/7. When they internet first become popular among "casual, non business users" back in 1996- I would wake up at 7 and stay on the computer until 3am and repeat the next day for atleast a year. I was addicted to mIRC and pIRCh. Last year my bellsouth connection was down for less than 30 minutes and I was ripping my home apart looking for one of those AOL spam CD's just so I could access the net....

This last year I've become much less obsessed. I check it when I feel like it and walk away without getting anxious.

Baby steps, Baby steps....

[Jer]

Originally posted by slapass
I was just unplugged for 12 days. I was in Brazil and yes Jer, god is Brazilian. But not having the computer was great! I had it setup for someone to watch stats and that failed so I had no clue as to how I was doing. The internet cafes totally suck for any serious work of even stat checking so I was cut off.

Guess what, some porn is even sexy looking and it was only 12 days. I pretty much just deleted 90% of the email that had come in while I was gone as very little was of importance. The servers stayed up and I had the best month I have ever had.

Looking to go back in May. Maybe do the whole month if I can find internet access and just live there for a bit. or 12 days unplugged again if i can't find it.

If you can use your laptop in your hotel room to manipulate the content and just need the internet access to upload and check stats, e-mails and stuff you could go to any "lan house" like this one called "Monkey" and plug your laptop to their network.

[adultvisitors]

You are on drugs?

I do not may live without internet

[C_U_Next_Tuesday]

I too am looking forward to it.. maybe in 5 years or so.

I left my computers for 10 days and galavanted around Alaska camping and hiking...When Hubby finally drug me back home, I just stared at the computer for about a week before I could turn it back on. It was a nice break from it all

[Herb Kornfield]

Each year I have a few weeks in the summer off where I am out in the woods in my tent with my wife, mountain bikes and acoustic guitars.

Nothing like no access, its refreshing.

Digital cameras will always be in my gear since photography is a major hobby and a ton of the art in my home is pics from my travels.

[bluff]

I think that's an excellent decision. I'm working on it too, but on a little different version of it. I want to setup my businesses in such a way that I only have to check them once in say bi-weekly or monthly.