Subterranean Nocturnal River

Let’s then think of the Internet as a Subterranean nocturnal river. Details and other elements flow and float up to the surface to be viewed and understood. Some of the info may be bad, some good, and some would test human endurance.

In India, the internet was started by Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) in August 15, 1995. I was doing my final year of Bachelors. Before this particular time, life was a little different, but one cannot imagine a life without the advancing technology.

Advancement takes away old ways and introduces a new one. Not all old ways need changing. But a hybrid version which allows for new technologies and our base value is intact.

The past can be rethought in different ways. The future is envisioned in many parts. But sustainability of all living organisms with their diversity makes for hopeful life ahead for humanity.

Libraries, When There Was No Internet

Before the Internet crash landed on our collective lives, life happened to be simpler or so it seemed. Everything was strenuously handwritten or typed. If you need any information about a book then, you go to the onsite library and browse through the calling card or shelves for the books.

Book Catalogue

The database information for the books back in olden days were available in long handwritten forms. Maybe later as typed calling cards with information of the ISBN, Author Name, Titles, Publications years, and other relevant details to help with the searching of the books.

Even today, the local lending library’s lending record details are available in a A4 sheet lined yellow card with date, book titles, and amount.

Piecing Through Fragmented Info

The PC was already an available market and used by major libraries with financial backing. Searching for the book would be a challenge but easier than the slot card. Since the search was on early days of invention for the library information standalone system.

But the library system was fully in place since the beginning of gathering important books for referring purpose and all academic needs. Earlier a visit to the library was hours of loving search like a detective snooping for the scoop as to where the treasure (Books) were hidden.

Early Days of Database System

You could discover the book you are searching for either by its ISBN or Author name, title of the book, and even broad category. Before you hit the PC and its complexities of search tool.

The standard way of searching for a book or a treasure in the library is to walk around shelf to shelf based on the subject that the racks cover. This is more a physical activity and sometimes even climbing ladders.

Joy of Being Calm With Advancment

The beauty of the experience of browsing hours to gather and to check out the library slot card or catalogue. Reading books that are still available, or blocking a book in advance.

Eagerness to be next in the lending queue when the book is returned by the borrower. All these happens now from online, but back then you needed to talk to a librarian in person who alone had the access to the information.

Even today, getting in a librarian’s recommendation and help are rare. Since the smell of reference books, newsprints, articles, journal, and magazines that provide all the research requirement material for class, school, university homework, are long gone.

Interaction With People Spread New Ideas

Earlier people needed to pick up a phone and call them to connect with people at a distant. Be it family connecting or main office calling branch for an issue or a new project, all these were done with actual call or paper post.

There were Pen Pals to whom you had shared letter writing interests, hobbies, thoughts about everything small and big. There are innumerable letters left behind by popular people of the said centuries to their lovers, friends, family, and on official correspondence. These emails changed the world for us.

Technology and It’s Downside

Technology is needed and essential, but then, a human touch is vital for the future lives to co-exist. Humans are not automaton even though they can create them.

All those tedious letters are scraped to ‘You are fired!’ Text sent using just a cold impersonal email now! People took time to explain things in the past. I don’t know, if it is good or bad. Well in the current fast pace things happen instantly, that manners have been tossed to the winds with coarse text.

Technology has taught us to race forward. We’re living through life unaware of what changes are rapidly happening around us. In youth you forgo organic connection only to seek for it in adage! How pitiable life would be when it is too late to turn the tides!