"Well, I am 85 - and was online before many of you were born, or 'the Internet' was even available."

"I bought one of the first Radio Shack Model 1 computer in 1978, had it connected - by dialup modem - by 1979 I was operating the first computer 'Bulletin Board' in Colorado Springs," says a man named dave19, commenting at a WaPo article titled "Gap between those who use Internet and those who don’t is widening."

He continues:

Used it for local politics, pioneering online education. Then of course got on the Internet as soon as services were available followed by the Web. And connected up organizations, shops, homeowners (and even Sherpas at 15,000 feet up Everest slopes when I was just a lad of 75) wirelessly, where there were NO commercial wired connections ad Wi-Fi was just getting approved by the FCC.

But guess what? I am not sure life has been that much better for me, my 'adult' kids, or my grand kids (or my great grand kids who are already using kiddie smart phones.) I am not sure I, or they, are any wiser for their use of 'the net.' I am not sure twitter is producing wiser utterances, or that Facebook is a substitute for an written and printed autobiography. There is sure more babble. And misinformation. Or knowledge.

Oh, I intend to keep pioneering, for I announced ten years ago that I had changed my will, so that my sons would bury me with a laptop computer, with heuristic - feed back - software, solar panels to keep it charged forever, wireless links to 'the cloud.' And that 6 months after my carbon self is gone, my digital - in silicon - mind, would go out on the net and say 'This is Dave - wanna Chat?' and debate with the world until the sun blinks out.' The artificial intelligent software is already nearly there. And even try - in the face of undeniable new knowledge - change my silicon mind. 

I already affixed a QR Code on my deceased wife's tombstone. So than anyone with a smart phone that aims at it, will get her memorial pages - even her favorite music 'Clair De Lune'

Not sure I will be wiser even then. Just connected, in perpetuity. You all have some catching up to do.