Come and listen to a story of boom and bust. A tale of exhuberent highs and devastating lows. A yarn so dramatic, so engaing, so tragic... wait... wrong story.
This is about my experience with the Internet and how I rode the wave from the beginning, only to end up here. Ready? Come gather 'round...
Part I: I can do that!
I have always been a computer freek. Since Radio Shack launched the first TRS-80 model I in late 1970s, I have been hooked on computers. I have also been a computer gaming fan from way back. I remember playing the original text adventures and thinking I had gone to heaven when the first graphic adventure games were released. Wow, have we come a long way!
In 1992, I remember reading a computer gaming magazine and thinking to myself, "I bet these software reviewers get all the free software they want." The gears in my head turned as I put two and two together. I said to myself, "Self, I can do that!".
I began researching phone numbers for some of the larger software publishers, such as Activision, Sierra Online, and Accolade. I prepared a simple script that I would recite once I found the public relations contact. Basically, I told them I was the Editor of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Software Review, a print publication freely distributed to consumers throughout the metroplex.
I made dozens of calls, receiving many favorable replies. Before you knew it, every day was Christmas at my house. UPS, Fedex, USPS, Airborne... you name it. They were leaving packages at my door on a daily basis. I was receiving so many games that I simply did not have time to even look at all of them.
You may be thinking... wow, you lied to these companies! Nope, I had full intent of creating the publication. And I did.
To be continued...
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
