Higher Education, CDNow & Sting

Many years ago I attended an official university for one year (it was a default thing to do in life). It took me the first half of that year to realize that I didn’t wan’t to be there and the another half to come to terms with that conclusion. My class attendance was slowly replaced by hours at the computer – taking advantage of the internet via dull textual green screens – then available only on university campuses. One of the small treasures was CDNow – I think it was one of the first online shops ever. Using a textual interface of scrolling menus I was able to get my hands on music that I couldn’t get in stores. I spent a long time (I recall it took more then a year, so it must have continued when I could get internet from home) hunting down an audio recording of Sting performing Message in a Bottle in The Secret Policemen’s Ball – until I was finally able to get my hands on a copy. Now the video is freely available for all.