In China, when a technology first appears, it is not a "public capability," but a "strictly controlled privileged resource." The generation of the 70s and 80s in China feels this most deeply:

1. When broadband was first popularized, operators defaulted to "one network cable per computer," and if you dared to connect a router to share the internet, you would be directly cut off.
2. In the past, answering the phone on a mobile phone also incurred charges; many people’s first reaction before answering was: "Keep it brief, I’ll be charged."
3. Mobile phones had "domestic" and "international" distinctions; leaving the province meant roaming, and making calls was like carrying a meter.
4. Caller ID was not an essential feature at first but a monthly value-added service that cost several yuan per month.
5. Cable TV did not allow "daisy chaining"; secretly splitting lines would be detected and considered "unauthorized viewing."
6. During the dial-up internet era, whenever you went online, the home phone line was busy, and others calling would always get "The number you dialed cannot be reached."
7. In the past, internet was charged by the hour; many people specifically stayed up late to download things because "nighttime was cheaper."
8. Downloading a song could take half an hour; failing at 99% was a common blood pressure training for a generation.
9. There was no navigation; before going out, you had to copy maps and memorize bus stops, and getting lost was routine.
10. Buying train tickets required queuing overnight; during the Spring Festival travel rush, a single ticket could determine whether a person could go home for the New Year.
11. Missing a TV series in the past truly meant missing it; there were no replays, no on-demand, and certainly no "speed-up playback."
12. Windows, Office, and game discs were almost all pirated; computer stores defaulted to installing "cracked" versions.
13. Internet cafes were not only entertainment venues but also many people's first contact with the internet, serving as "enlightenment schools" and "sex education counseling."
14. During the pager era, if you wanted to find someone, you could only leave a message: "Call back quickly," and then search for a public phone booth everywhere.
15. In the past, if you were late for a meeting, the other party could not contact you at all because "disconnection" was the norm.
16. There was no QR code payment; going out without cash was genuinely panic-inducing, and you had to prepare coins in advance for buses.
17. Televisions, refrigerators, and air conditioners once symbolized "family status"; if a family had a computer, children would gather around to watch.
18. In the past, news mainly relied on "Xinwen Lianbo" and newspapers; information spread at a pace measured in "days."
19. Taking photos was especially precious; a roll of film had only 36 shots, and you would seriously think before pressing the shutter.
20. Previously, communication, the internet, information, and entertainment were almost all built on "scarcity" and "control"; today’s people have long taken for granted that they exist as naturally as air and tap water.