We had web browsers, kinda, in that we'd call up BBSes, and use ansi for menus and such.

My Vic20 could do this, and a C64 easily, really it was just graphics that were wanting.

I was sending electronic messages around the world via FidoNet and PunterNet, downloaded software, was on forums, and that all on BBSes.

When I think of the web of old, it's the actual information I love.

And a terminal connected to a bbs could be thought of as a text browser, really.

I even connectd to CompuServe in the early 80s via my C64 through "datapac", a dial gateway via telnet.

ANSI was a standard too, it could have evolved further.

> graphics that were wanting

Prodigy established a (limited) graphical online service in 1988.