@kuoh@yakkoTDI That was exactly my path as well. I did lurk on SD for years during the FW heyday, and eventually registered there and became kinda active once FW went Japanese. The SD vibe was never as fun though. I think the FW crowd was the ancestral DNA of the Mehtizen…
@shahnm@yakkoTDI Still remember my first purchase on that “shady” new site with the weird deal of the day sales model. The BFG Asylum Ti4200, which turned out to be a snafu that worked Snapster so hard, his mouse broke under the strain! Then I had to think long and hard before deciding to take another risk when the BOC came around.
@shahnm I was a regular user of Ben’s Bargains back in the day but, while it still exists, I don’t find much of interest there these days.
(Meh seems to be following a similar course, but maybe I have just reached my lifetime crap quota.)
@ybmuG DAK and I went back to the 1980s, maybe even earlier. They were awesome! It was like having all the coolest tech news, except you could buy it all.
On Slickdeals every day. I used to use several other similar sites, but SD is just so much more comprehensive than the others now so it’s my only haunt.
Only problem is, it’s so much the default now that any deals on there go pretty quick.
@danoinct Me too. They had amazing tech deals at times, and their auction system was unique and made it a little easier to win at a lower price if you were quick.
We got a brand new LaserJet 6MP (the postscript-equipped one aimed at Mac use) for a ridiculously low price, and I picked up a couple of new in box DEC Alphastation 200s for an insane price when they were still available new at retail. Never got close to those deals anywhere else since (and they were reportedly making money even at that).
And some DEC Multia systems that were intended as enhanced client systems but could be turned into inexpensive standalone computer systems with a little bit of effort. One was my first Linux system.
Best part: their site worked with the Lynx browser, a text-based browser that would run on a 24x80 terminal which I had easier access to at times than a PC or Mac with a browser. I really still miss them.
@danoinct@f00l I never owned a modem with acoustic coupler but at my university most of the terminal rooms in my first year or two had a coupler and phone by each terminal, and a LOT of competition for not enough dial in lines.
I saved up and bought a Hayes MicroModem II for my Apple ][plus and used that from home for a couple of years. “Direct Connect” was the way.
Was that the personal lubricant site?
I still miss FatWallet…
@shahnm Now there is a flashback. I remember being on there in the early '00s. Of course I spent way more time on Anandtech back then.
@shahnm @yakkoTDI FW led me to Woot, which eventually led to Meh. Never got used to SD or found/liked any other deal aggregation site since.
KuoH
@kuoh @yakkoTDI That was exactly my path as well. I did lurk on SD for years during the FW heyday, and eventually registered there and became kinda active once FW went Japanese. The SD vibe was never as fun though. I think the FW crowd was the ancestral DNA of the Mehtizen…
@shahnm @yakkoTDI Still remember my first purchase on that “shady” new site with the weird deal of the day sales model. The BFG Asylum Ti4200, which turned out to be a snafu that worked Snapster so hard, his mouse broke under the strain! Then I had to think long and hard before deciding to take another risk when the BOC came around.
KuoH
@shahnm I was a regular user of Ben’s Bargains back in the day but, while it still exists, I don’t find much of interest there these days.
(Meh seems to be following a similar course, but maybe I have just reached my lifetime crap quota.)
I was a techdeals dude too way back when
I spent way too much on DAK and Egghead
@ybmuG DAK and I went back to the 1980s, maybe even earlier. They were awesome! It was like having all the coolest tech news, except you could buy it all.
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!
anyone remember firstauction.com?
Got some absolutely killer deals back in the day.
Late 90’s-early 00’s
@katbyter I used to sell computer parts and other things on eBay, back when it was a single page called AuctionWeb…
I still look through my deal alerts that send me notifications all the time from the slickdeals app.
I was more of a Lounger on the site though, and don’t go there as often as I’d like nowadays.
I’m active at this other place instead! (It’s called meh.com)
On Slickdeals every day. I used to use several other similar sites, but SD is just so much more comprehensive than the others now so it’s my only haunt.
Only problem is, it’s so much the default now that any deals on there go pretty quick.
I haven’t in years… But Aquabid.com probably the auction site I’ve made the most purchases from over the years.
Looks like it’s still up and running and still looking the same as it did 15 years ago.
I can really date myself, and remember when I used to buy refurbished tech stuff from onsale.com in the 1990s.
It was like Woot… long before Woot existed. They had excellent daily deals on overstock merch.
@danoinct Me too. They had amazing tech deals at times, and their auction system was unique and made it a little easier to win at a lower price if you were quick.
We got a brand new LaserJet 6MP (the postscript-equipped one aimed at Mac use) for a ridiculously low price, and I picked up a couple of new in box DEC Alphastation 200s for an insane price when they were still available new at retail. Never got close to those deals anywhere else since (and they were reportedly making money even at that).
And some DEC Multia systems that were intended as enhanced client systems but could be turned into inexpensive standalone computer systems with a little bit of effort. One was my first Linux system.
Best part: their site worked with the Lynx browser, a text-based browser that would run on a 24x80 terminal which I had easier access to at times than a PC or Mac with a browser. I really still miss them.
@danoinct @duodec
liked lynx, liked no loading times for pix when I temp didn’t have 56K or isdn speeds, back in the day.
Lynx was my first browser. (My first modem involved a phone handset and acoustic cradle)
/giphy old as the hills
@danoinct @f00l I never owned a modem with acoustic coupler but at my university most of the terminal rooms in my first year or two had a coupler and phone by each terminal, and a LOT of competition for not enough dial in lines.
I saved up and bought a Hayes MicroModem II for my Apple ][plus and used that from home for a couple of years. “Direct Connect” was the way.