Page 27 - Old School Gamer Magazine Issue #41 FREE Edition

QuantumLink (Q-Link): The Gateway for Commodore Users
Introduced in 1985, Quantum Link (Q-Link) was designed specifically for Commodore 64 and 128 users. Q-Link offered
a unique graphical user interface that set it apart from other text-based services of the time. Users could access games, chat rooms, email, and news. One of its most innovative features was “Habitat,” an early multiplayer online game that allowed users to interact in a virtual graphical world. Quantum Link eventually evolved into America Online (AOL), which became one of the most successful online services of the 90s. An interesting anecdote about Q-Link is the camaraderie among its users, who would often gather in chat rooms to share tips and tricks about their Commodore computers and Q-Link’s hidden features. Q-Link also had its own version
of keywords, allowing users to quickly navigate to different sections or special events within the service. Quantum Link ceased operations in 1994 as its user base transitioned to AOL. Check out the “Early Consoles Online: Dialing Up to get Dialed In” article in this issue to get more details on QuantumLink!
GEnie: The General Electric Network for Information Exchange
GEnie, launched by General Electric in 1985, was another significant player in the early online services market. It offered a range of features, including email, chat rooms, games, and software libraries. GEnie was particularly popular for its gaming forums and text-based multiplayer games
like GemStone III and DragonRealms. (I personally played GemStone III quite a bit during off-peak hours, and even more later on when it moved to AOL) GEnie was known for its community feel and was one of the few services that offered a flat-rate pricing model during off-peak hours, making it more affordable for heavy users. However, the hourly rates during peak times could still add up. GEnie was acquired by IDT Corporation in 1996, but its nature as a text-based online service struggled to compete with the rapid growth of the
internet, and was shut down in 1999.
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