LGR Tech Tales - Quantum Link: AOL Origins

This episode covers the unlikely origins of AOL, by way of the Atari Gamelink and an online service for the Commodore 64. Join me in LGR Tech Tales, looking at stories of technological inspiration, failure, and everything in-between!

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● Social links:

● Background music credits:
"Nautical 2" by Loscil

"Anekbah Theme"

"Milinda" by Diode Milliampere

"Rhodes to Heaven 2," "After The Storm 3," "Werewolfdance"

● Main sources for info:

[LGR]

The follow-up episode covering the rest of America Online's history is now availabe!

[TheBitGuy]

Great video! I even learned a few things!

[Engel]

Ive started to show LGR techtales to my students. The only lesson they all love to attent.

[marco_evertus]

Ahh the best series in LGR's arsenal returns

[theshanetrain]

Just want to let you know that every Friday when I get off from my double shifts your videos make my night, I always look forward to watching these and unwinding after a long days work. Thanks for all of the hard work you put into your videos!

[jamiesilverman]

Growing up in the 80's, I have nothing but the fondest memories of Qlink. They were the first to feature email and instant messages. They had weekly events in their "auditorium" which at times contained hundreds of other users. I remember the beloved emcee "RJScott". I was addicted to playing Name that Tune and won many "Q-pons" (redeemable for game time) from it. In the early 90's as the Commodore 64 fell out of use, the population of Q-Link dwindled and I left around 1993. The service ended permanently in 1994. But I have nothing but the warmest memories of all those lonely nights as a confused teen being kept company by all those wonderful people on Q-Link.

[PixleyLore]

I love these man, honestly if it wasn't for you I'd never know about this stuff or probably even care. If you ever wonder if your sub base is based off of just other classic PC nerds know that isn't the case and you're actually creating new interests for people! That's a big accomplishment man, and we're happy for ya

[CommodoreFan]

Awesome video, and even as a kid in late 87 I was a user of Q-Link on my C128 as it came on the back of the GEOS software, and it was AWESOME!!! with a Commodore 1670 modem(1200 baud). I was lucky because the South Carolina # for GEOS for me at the time was a local call(you found the #'s in the book that came with the software), so no long distance fees ever showed on my parents bill lol!, and the expense of per hour was total worth it for the interaction I got from other people at the time, and being able to show it off to my friends. Also I to note the Q-Link was online till mid 1994 if I remember correctly, but I used it up till around early 92 once users started dropping off big time, and I was moving onto a DOS/Win 3.11 PC. Good times indeed. :-)

[Laganini]

I'm really addicted to the tech tales series! Whenever you post a new one I rewatch all the old ones, over and over and it never gets boring! Not a techie really, but the way you present it gets me hooked! Keep up the AWESOME work!

[cigarobsession]

Dude, fantastic production, love the history!

[justme]

It's funny, because one of the techs working on those first Apple computers had a system all worked out to let the computers communicate with one another over long distances. Jobs made him remove it because he wanted to keep things simple almost to a fault. It's the same reason they had those one-button mice among other things.

[randallkincaid-shatto]

Gameline.

That dude was way ahead of his time.

[OwenEvans]

I love your videos. Everything from informative history to chilled out adventures to the local thrift shops. <3

[luvmenow]

About time somebody did a good video about Q-Link. It was awesome and should not be forgotten.

[KNnY_G]

This is awesome! Just as all of the other content, I didn't think Tech Tales would keep getting better but man somehow I feel every-time you've tightened the screws even more every-time.

Might as well consider every instance of Tech Tales a professionally done tech documentary at this point.

Youtube is too lucky to have creators like you.

[bryanf.]

Your passion for tech history is so wonderful! I really love these kind of videos you do. I know a lot of work must go into getting the history just right as well as finding the perfect photos to complement your narration.

Always looking forward to your videos no matter what the topic.

[DestroyaDoll]

I love LGR Tech Tales! They are my absolute favorite content from Lazy Game Reviews! I wish the episodes were a television series!

[neoasura]

Damn! You left it off on a cliffhanger, I was really getting into that story too. But that means you did a terrific job on this, now I can't wait for the next part to come out.

[ne]

Man, this video had such an amazing production quality, all I have to say is good work and keep pumping out the good content man!

[BSJuliaMagna]

With every new episode of Tech Tales Im even more amazed how well researched "Halt & Catch Fire" is