I find that on average I probably spend way to much time on the internet, chatting to people, playing multiplayer games or browsing forums. I had the thought what would I be doing right now if the internet never excisted. I honestly not sure myself, It wouldn't really effect the work I've done but it certainly would effect my favourite hobby which is PC gaming. I was wondering what everyone else would be doing. How would it effect your job and life if the internet never excisted? What would you be doing in your spare time instead of using the net?
Just a random thought I had that I'm intrested in hearing peoples answers to.

It's ruined it from day 1, but I can't complain. =/

My job would be far more difficulty if it weren't for the Internet. However, I do ask myself the same question when it comes to games =) I wouldn't say I play games too much (many a time when I hardly get even an hour to myself to play a game). But I do wonder what I would have done to wind down instead.

I sometimes think what it would've been without cellphones. I amuse myself by thinking of taking messages for people and never giving them. I mean, I clearly remember what it was like when I lived at home, but I mean living outside my parent's house, with a a roommate and all.

Hmm lets see...
-Introduced me to numerous TV shows I'd have never seen before
-Enabled me to actually have more than 2 friends (I'm up to 6 now!)
-Helped managed my depression with the aforementioned friends
-Helped me fall in love for the first time
-Helped me get my heart broken because of the falling in love thing
-Let me order DVDs & games from overseas where they're reasonably priced (largely to get over the heartbreak thing)
-Scarred me for life with references to those 2 girls and that cup of theirs
-Scarred me for life with Weclock's gas mask video
-Let me throw frag grenades at Fenixp
-Let me get the downloadable addons for many a game (most notably the GTA4 ones)
-Let me buy good cheap games, be they GOGs or steam cheapos
-Let me rant on the GOG forums about random brain melting frustrations
Absolutely NOT allowed me to pirate videos and/or music, honest
Blissfully peaceful when you're trying to watch a movie?

When I go visit family or something in Spain I don't really miss the internet at all, I can go months without it and I don't really mind. But last Saturday it was down and I felt lost without it, kind of funny how that works.

What the internet has done is given completely unfettered rule to my curiousity and infinite encouragement to my love of efficiency.
In short, it's a curse.

it's how I make my money, being in ISP tech support

Internet is nice, it's useful. But many people waste their time with it, as I did in the past.
Don't spend time with it nowadays.

Look on the bright side, you can talk to people untiil they get boring and then you can just turn them off. That gets messy in real life...

I'd probably be a real loner spending my non working days with nothing to do. The only real social life I have was found be meeting like minded folks over the net. Even if it's a hour plus drive for a real life meetup, it is far better than having none at all.
I'd also be much richer, as I would never take advantage of exchange rates and cheap products. Instead just hoarding cash.
I'd find work much harder, or I would of studied better and more often. Spontaneous research has helped many many times.
I'd never of had that page on Geocities with inane comments about myself.

I get laid twice as much.
...wait, no, that's backwards

...
Without the internet:
I wouldn't have the job I have. (I do manufacturing and customer service for an internet based supplier of fire performance equipment)
I would have VERY few friends, as even most of those I know IRL, I met because of the internet (I was homeschooled)
I would have less hobbies.
I would never have found out about Dr. Steel.
I wouldn't have started writing.
... In short, I wouldn't HAVE a life.

Without the internet I'd probably be even less social... can't say I have more friends now, but I certainly communicate with more people.
Other than that... um, the internet and related technoloies is so deeply rooted into my life that I honestly cannot imagine how it would be without it.

That title should be more like How has eBay affected your life. Good lord.