Ode to a Cable Modem

Michael Holley’s Home Computer in 1978. The items in the photo are a Southwest Technical Products 6800 computer with 36k of memory, dual mini floppies, a Hazeltine 1500 video terminal, and a Trendata1000 Selectric printing terminal. The small box on the disk drive is a homebrew 300 baud modem.
This photograph appeared on the front page of the July 1978 issue of the Northwest Computer Club

The little light
Shows it’s ready
Goes flash flash flash
But the Internet does not appear

The technician on the line
Asks me
If it’s been turned on and off and on
It has
But the Internet does not appear

I am transferred,
Upgraded in level
Asked if it’s been turned on and off and on
It has
But [again] the Internet does not appear

The new technician on the line
Asks me
If I can check the co-ax cable
It is fine
But the Internet does not appear

The little light
Still shows ready
Goes flash flash flash
But the Internet does not appear

The technician on the line
Tells me
Someone will come by sooner or later or sooner
They will
But the Internet does not appear

I wait all day
They finally appear
Ask if it’s been turned on and off and on
It has
But [again] the Internet does not appear

I call a new technician on the line
Tell him
I am placing my order
It will be DSL
So that the Internet can appear