Episodes

  • Dino Ignacio (Creator of Bert Is Evil) on Where I'm From

    Dino Ignacio (Creator of Bert Is Evil) on Where I'm From
    Feb 7 2023
    This is a special crosspost from my new show Where I'm From, which you can subscribe to at https://billmeeks.com/whereimfrom.Meet Dino Ignacio, the creator of the infamous 90s website Bert Is Evil. We'll dive into Dino's unique upbringing on the internet and recall the exciting early days of the World Wide Web. From connecting to CompuServe and exploring the BBS scene, to creating the first internet meme and winning a Webby Award, Dino takes us on a journey through the democratization of content. Don't miss this episode as we delve into the historical significance of the first meme with internet pioneer Dino Ignacio. PLUS: How Bert Is Evil influenced a conflict half a world away. SPONSORED BYSUBSCRIBEApple PodcastsSpotifyAmazonRSSYouTube (Live Streams)YouTube (Episodes) LINKSFull Uncut Interview (Livestream)Where I'm From YouTube ChannelDino IgnacioThe Original Bert Is Evil WebsiteBert Is Evil: The True Story Behind the Web's First Viral Hit by Bill MeeksOld Wide Web Episode 1 -- The Muppets Take Bangladesh (Podcast)CompuServeThe CompuServe Comics and Animation Forum AwardsGeocitiesFark.comFractalCow mirrorMr. T Ate My Balls on The Old Wide WebBraindom: We Can Defeat Brain TogetherInternet Underground Magazine ArchiveWebby AwardsBert Is Evil on the Webby Awards siteDino's Last Message on Bert Is EvilTIMESTAMPS00:00:00 Intro00:02:14 Even Nerds Have Tech Problems00:03:09 Clip from Internet Superstar with Martin Sargent00:03:32 Dino on The Old Wide Web00:05:07 Getting Online In Manila00:05:59 - Growing Up Under Marshall Law00:06:21 - Enter The World Wide Web00:07:07- Connecting To CompuServe00:09:44- The BBS Scene and Legends of the Red Dragon00:10:15- The Compuserve Comics and Animation Forums00:11:05 Why The Early Internet Was So Exciting00:11:34 - Geocities00:11:38 - Fark.com00:11:44 - Rotten.com00:12:09 FractalCow.com00:12:48 - Zines and Poetry00:13:25 - The Early Days Of Viral Content00:15:44 - Mr. T Ate My Balls00:16:08 Bert Is Evil00:18:07 - Braindom: We Can Defeat Brain Together Tripod Site00:19:40 - Bert Is Evil Goes Viral00:20:09 - Internet Underground Magazine00:20:18 - Winning A Webby Award00:20:48 - The Muppets Take Bangladesh00:23:55 - The 1998 Webby Awards00:26:58 Streann Studio Ad Read00:28:34 Bert Is Evil Part 200:28:40 - Sesame Street Reacts and The End of Bert Is Evil00:30:19 - The Historical Significance of The First Internet Meme00:31:28 - The Art of Bert Is Evil00:32:54 Stable Diffusion and AI Art00:39:29 Wheel of Anecdotes00:45:37 The Democratization of Content00:49:34 Outro
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    51 mins
  • Lawyer Up!

    Lawyer Up!
    Oct 9 2019

    We get all legal and cover the court cases of Napster and Microsoft. Hold on to your briefs… it’s the Old Wide Web!

    Links:

    Nabbing Napster: Napster Bad!, Barenaked Ladies battle Napster with ‘Trojan’ downloads, Napster Usage Numbers, Jammie Thomas Judgement, Napster’s High and Low Notes, Music by Atomsplit

    United States v Microsoft: Bill Gates Deposition Videos, Gates Deposition Called Evasive, Microsoft Attacks Credibility of Intel Exec, Open Letter on Antitrust Protectionism, United States v Microsoft Ruling, Music

    Progz: The TOR Project, FoxyProxy

    Old Website of the Week: The Wyld Stallyns!
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    32 mins
  • So Long, And Thanks For All The Memes

    So Long, And Thanks For All The Memes
    Oct 2 2019

    We talk to the creator of the Ate My Balls meme and pay tribute to the late author and techhead Douglas Adams. Grab your towel and thumb a ride to the Old Wide Web!

    Links:

    Mr. T Ate My Balls: Mr. T Ate My Balls

    Douglas Adams and the Internet: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet, Hyperland on Youtube

    Progz: Digital: A Love Story, Timeline of Web Browsers, The Evolution of HTML

    Old Website of the Week: h2g2
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    34 mins
  • The Jargon File

    The Jargon File
    Sep 25 2019

    Just when you least expected it… a game show! See how well you know classic Internet jargon as we COME ON DOWN…. to the Old Wide Web!

    Links:

    What The Heck Does That Mean?: Player One’s Twitter, Player Two’s Twitter, The Prize

    Progz: The Jargon File, Free MIDI Files @ Home Musician

    Old Website of the Week: Your Old Crap Website
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    31 mins
  • I Was A Teenage Sysop

    I Was A Teenage Sysop
    Sep 18 2019

    Take a journey with me and Bryan Lunduke as we explore his past as a BBS Sysop and find out why Bulletin Board Systems are still relevant today. Make sure you use the prefix *70, we’re dialing up to the Old Wide Web!

    Links:

    I Was A Teenage Sysop: Bryan’s Blog, The House of Lunduke BBS

    Memory Allocation: My So-Called 8bit Life (I’m in episodes 4 and 21)

    Progz: Gopher Archive, Windows 3.1 Emulator

    The Conscience of a Hacker by The Mentor


    Old Website of the Week: Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy Tickets Site, 2007 Version
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    41 mins
  • We Go Commercial

    We Go Commercial
    Sep 11 2019

    Learn about the Pets.com Sock Puppet, E-mail scams courtesy of Bill Gates, catch up on your chat jargon, and find out which Internet Service provider works best for you… if you still live in 1996. Break out your snacks, it’s time to head to the Old Wide Web!

    Links:

    A Sock on the Hand: The Sock Puppet That Roared: Internet Synergy or a Conflict of Interest?, Dirty Sock & Streisand’s Stocks, The Sock Puppet Tells His Story, Music from Various Sources

    Provider Showdown 1996: America Online Prices, CompuServe Prices, Prodigy Prices, Earthlink Prices

    Bill Gates Rich: Copy This Article & Win Quick Cash!, Music

    Progz: Computer Chroincles Video Archive, Internet FAQ Archive

    Old Website of the Week: The First Picture on the Internet
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    33 mins
  • Back From The Future

    Back From The Future
    Sep 7 2019

    Only one week late, we now bring you episode 3! We explore the strange case of time-traveling troll John Titor (voiced by Tom Merritt), finish our cliff notes version of Internet History in A Brief History of the Internet, and honor the memory of internet pioneer Paul Baran. Now let’s hop in the Delorean and cruise down the skyway to the Old Wide Web!

    Links:

    The Strange Case of John Titor:Is John Titor An Upcoming Disney Franchise?, John Titor’s First Post, John Titor :: Time Traveler, Soldier or Prophet?, JohnTitor.com, John Titor: a Time Traveller From The Year 2036?,John Titor – I am from 2036, Music From arhipco

    Paul Baron Obituary

    Progz: Google Groups, 11 Best Old School Animated GIFs

    Old Website of the Week: Space Jam
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    29 mins
  • The Day The Internet Went Dark

    The Day The Internet Went Dark
    Sep 7 2019

    We cover the Great Internet Blackout Protest of 1996, continue our Cliff Notes version of Internet History in ‘A Brief History of the Internet,’ and try to solicit compensation for an unsung hero of the early web. So strap on your Chrono-belts, time cadets. It’s the first episode of The Old Wide Web!

    Links:

    The Day The Internet Went Dark: Web Blackout Commemorative, Remembering the Great Web Blackout, Communications Decency Act on Wikipedia, Mirror of Yahoo!’s page from the protest, List of Sites Who Participated (And Didn’t), The Great Australian Internet Blackout, Shabbir Safdar’s Personal Blog, and a special thanks to Stephan Carroll for the music.

    Thanks For Trumpet Winsock – You can donate to the creator of Trumpet Winsock here or through Paypal at payments@petertattam.com.

    Progz:

    Telnet BBS Guide
    Legend of the Red Dragon (LORD) Online

    Old Website of the Week:
    Yahoo! in 1996
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    31 mins