Exploring nostalgia

HYDERABAD: Remember the time when the Internet Explorer was our gateway to information? It has been a huge part of our growing up when we were novice with anything related to internet. The news of Microsoft pulling the plug on Internet Explorer after 27 years of service, has led to the netizens going wild. The internet is abuzz with memories, most of them in the form of memes that are now going viral. CE speaks to some of the minds behind these hilarious nostalgia posts.

Rohit Swain, a well-known comedian from the city, shares his memories of Internet Explorer and how it was one of the most expensive things to use back then. “We are the first generation to have had a computer back home and the Internet Explorer was one of the primary things we used. Though we lived in 2000, it felt as though the Internet Explorer belonged to the Stone Age. We did not realise it was slow until other software and apps kept coming in, and our idea of speed improved. The logo with the ‘e’ and a ring around it will always be a part of our memories of childhood and I’m sure I’ll feel the same way about it even when I’m 80,” he says.

Sandesh Johnny, another popular comedian, says that ever since he heard the news, he has been wondering what’s next. “Internet Explorer was my first love — it was the first and only browser that I had known when I first used a computer. And I was very loyal to it — even after college, I never forgot it. I used it when I joined the corporate world, I used it when I bought my first laptop and I always do every time I use a new computer. The shutting down feels like a personal loss but I can make do with the sweet memories. But what can I say, I don’t know how and what to do about Google Chrome when I buy my next laptop!” he laughs.

Toby Thomas, known for his series of Hindi comedy in the city, says, “My first memory of using the internet is of the Internet Explorer. And I wonder why I never saw it as much of a problem as most others have, but it sure was slow.”