Ooo, proto-Net! The internet wasn't really a part of my life until college, meaning I got into it 'round 1992, but I was vaguely aware of it beforehand (mainly thanks to Arthur C. Clarke writing about and using it in the 80s).

Revised questions, then: How were you using the college mainframes in 1981? And what was the first online community you got heavily involved in (whether in the 80s or 90s)?