Q-Link (thing)

I remember getting my first modem, a slightly used 300 baud model for my Commodore 128 that did not understand touch tone signals and had to be manually dialed. With the modem and a 5.25" floppy disk that I received from Ahoy! magazine, I was able to sign on to an online service called Quantum Link that was so much more exciting than any of the BBS's I'd been able to find.

Quantum Link was the product of Quantum Computer Services. Doesn't sound familiar? Well then perhaps you know the former Executive Vice President of QCS - Steve Case? Yes, Q-Link was the direct predecessor to AOL and was not completely shut down until October of 1994 when Case pulled the plug on the service.

Many elements of AOL came from Q-Link (and its siblings, AppleLink and PC-Link) - things like People Connection (and many of the room names withing, Instant Messages (known as OLMs - OnLine Messages) and the 'Guide xx' characters that patrol the system enforcing the TOS.

The big difference between the two? Q-Link was cool. :)

Enough to the point that I would, when signing on, go through the effort it took to connect and my blazing 300 baud:

• Boot up the program from floppy on my Commodore 128 in my bedroom.
• Run to the kitchen where the only phone existed.
• Change the phone from Touch Tone to Rotary. (Remember when phones had that option?)
• Dial up my local access number. (No busy signals!)
• While the phone was ringing, disconnect the handset from the phone and run to my bedroom, stretching the phone cord across a hallway.
• Plug the phone cord into my modem and hit the Enter Key.
• Sigh in frustration as my timing was off, go back and repeat the procedure.
• Finally! I was online! ('till my brother, the family dog or someone else tripped over the cord stretch across the hallway thus disconnecting me - again.)

Ah, the joys of being online circa 1987! :)

For more information on Q-Link check out this site:
http://www.qlinklives.org/