Offline Computing - Preparing for life without Internet

[Onio]

Once in a while I become curious about what my computing environment and daily usage would look like if the Internet was no longer an option, whether that's because it no longer exists or has become impossible/dangerous to use.

Have you ever thought about setting up your own offline computing network and information archive, even something as simple as downloading Wikipedia, ahead of such a time when staying disconnected may be the more sensible option? Do you have such an environment already, where as you've collected so much media and information that you could largely subsist digitally without the Internet? What hardware would or do you use for this?

Perhaps, more interestingly, what would media sharing culture look like if we didn't use the Internet? How might we share software and our digital creations?

[ThunderPerfectWitchcraft]

I have a good media collection, and use my computer a lot for offline applications anyway - sometimes our internet is defunct, so I've an idea what would and what wouldn't work if it was away for good. Thought about downloading the Wikipedia some times, but I never did it. Maybe I should?

Perhaps, more interestingly, what would media sharing culture look like if we didn't use the Internet? How might we share software and our digital creations?

I once saw a documentation about music that is hip in the sub-saharan regions - the people there used USB sticks to share files when they met in person - it looked actually quite charming :). I also remember seeing local networks on the meso-level, realized with open wifis and optical devices that linked buildings to each other, I think some Spanish cities have these? Could have been Barcelona, but I couldn't find any intel about this with a quick search. But there are certainly ways.

[lakes]

I mostly have shows, movies, music, memes and books downloaded on my computer because I HATE lag. I tried downloading Wikipedia for a while using Kiwix and it's a good idea, but after a while, I kinda forgot about it and just ended up using the site online. It still might be a good option though just in case. Kiwix lets you download other wikis and educational websites too.
I also switched from using Photopea to Krita because while I like Photopea, it's purely online which is a bit bothersome. Plus Photopea added AI functionality, I think.
I could also see myself watching one of the DVDs my family has on my computer if I ever needed to and no one else wanted to watch it with me. It'd also be cool to kinda use more stuff over LAN (local area network) than WAN (Wide Area Network) if that counts. I know LocalSend only uses LAN. Older messaging protocols like IRC and Oscar(/AIM) have the option to make servers LAN only too.

Perhaps, more interestingly, what would media sharing culture look like if we didn't use the Internet? How might we share software and our digital creations?

I'd imagine it'd be similar to the 90s where people were sharing software with CDs and maybe nowadays, USBs rather than just downloading it. You'd probably also have to pay for software more.

[Dynaknights]

On my computer and an external HDD, I've got some music, some books, every single issue of Nintendo Power, and a whole lot of older games. I've considered going all-in with archives and even using programs like JellyFin, but there hasn't really been much of a need or desire for it beyond video games, personally, even with my books. I don't enjoy watching TV much anymore -- if at all -- so the only videos I would ever see myself downloading are... my favorite stream VODs, much to my chagrin.

Most of my computer's storage is taken up by just video games with their respective emulators and frontends. If I was ever forcibly disconnected from the internet, I'd probably just be playing them until I keeled over and died. If I ever wanted music, TV, or more books, I'd probably just go to a library or some store to get some. I think people would do the same by sharing it through word of mouth, a resurgence of magazines, or maybe even sending over USBs over via snail mail!
It sounds like a fun alternate reality, now that I think about it. I wonder if groups like information-sharing clubs/conventions would be popular. Who knows...

[MrsMoe]

I've fantasized about leaving the internet forever and relying on a few downloaded programs for my hobbies many times before, but I honestly don't think it's impossible. So much news and info about my interests would be made unavailable to me, and I have friends that I only know through the web only. It makes trying to balance keeping a healthy and stable headspace with everything going on a real herculean challenge, but I really don't know how I could live without these things. I love movies a lot, so how am I supposed to get by without piracy or a way to find movie trailers? I don't even have a movie theater in my town anymore so any new releases would pretty much be barred off from me forever.

[lakes]

I've fantasized about leaving the internet forever and relying on a few downloaded programs for my hobbies many times before, but I honestly don't think it's impossible. So much news and info about my interests would be made unavailable to me, and I have friends that I only know through the web only. It makes trying to balance keeping a healthy and stable headspace with everything going on a real herculean challenge, but I really don't know how I could live without these things. I love movies a lot, so how am I supposed to get by without piracy or a way to find movie trailers? I don't even have a movie theater in my town anymore so any new releases would pretty much be barred off from me forever.

I can kinda relate to this, especially since for shows I tend to download one season at a time. I'm a bit luckier in that there's a movie theater nearby, but one even closer by shut down. Plus I often use the internet to find out about shows and movies.
I think the problem is that the web is so entrenched in modern culture that it's hard to avoid unless you're in an area that has low quality internet connections.

[TheFrugalGamer]

I've fantasized about leaving the internet forever and relying on a few downloaded programs for my hobbies many times before, but I honestly don't think it's impossible. So much news and info about my interests would be made unavailable to me, and I have friends that I only know through the web only. It makes trying to balance keeping a healthy and stable headspace with everything going on a real herculean challenge, but I really don't know how I could live without these things. I love movies a lot, so how am I supposed to get by without piracy or a way to find movie trailers? I don't even have a movie theater in my town anymore so any new releases would pretty much be barred off from me forever.

Have you ever considered going back to having a physical DVD collection? They can be had pretty cheap these days because most folks want BluRay, but I watch lots of DVDs and they're perfectly fine.

I know that doesn't take care of new movies, but there are always new-to-you movies to pick up. I find a lot at thrift stores and second-hand sites.

[takomo]

I've just started collecting physical media in the last few months. Sony's announcement that they were stopping disc production for PlayStation games really made me reconsider all the stuff I was buying digital only. I realized I want this stuff to be my own. Paying a recurring subscription for stuff that could be taken away from me at any time started to seem pretty ridiculous too. So now all my movies are on VHS or DVD (occasionally Blu-Ray if i can find it cheap), all my music is on CD or LP, and all my video games are on disc. I seriously think I'll stop buying new games once disc production stops.

If you're willing to scour local thrift and secondhand stores, you can find stuff super cheap. Most of my CDs I've bought for a dollar each.

I've found I appreciate this stuff so much more when I can hold it in my hands and I don't have immediate access to all of it. Like yeah, I don't have infinite music at my disposal but that really makes me like what I do have all the more. Feels more like a statement I'm making on who I am.

[Xyphien]

I have actually. I throw parties quite often and have set my entire house up to be offline compatible besides the 'internet' to be honest LonePortal originally created with this entire thing in mind. I wanted an offline internet I could use and everyone else who comes over could use it by connecting to my LAN. I will be doing this once I get a RAID 10 set up and will have my own 'netflix' which will be all of my physical media I convert digitally. I'll have my own offline information, search engine, etc. then I'll be archiving everything piece of needed information and adding it on there from surviving off the land, to how to repair everything I own, etc. I have a generator, and will be buying a solar generator here soon as well :) But yes, to answer the question I have had this and will be making an entire internet just for my LAN <3 As for outside the internet I am good to go. I have enough physical, offline games to last me both my wife and I's life, same with reading material, and everything else we'd need to live offline already, I'm just missing the actual internet part of it.


"Perhaps, more interestingly, what would media sharing culture look like if we didn't use the Internet? How might we share software and our digital creations? "
To answer this question I was planning on setting up my own lan. People could bring their own computers, laptops, etc. like they would do back in the day and could connect to our lan. Download anything they wish, I'd have an entire intraweb set up (Probably using the bones of LP) so they could do it more easily, and go from there. We'd have lan parties for consoles, games, movie nights, etc. as well as they could borrow anything we have as well =3 I'd essentially turn our house into the go-to cafe lounge for all of my friends & family! Other ways you could do it is USB drives, external harddrives, the works. I do not think it'd be terribly hard to transition. The difference is we'd go from talking with everyone across the world to locals in your area which honestly doesn't sound like the worst idea in the world.

[ABlueRose]

I saw this post days ago, but I'm finally posting because it has not left my mind since.

I haven't really considered the idea of the internet itself no longer being an option (Other than in case of power outages, but that's a whole different basket of eggs), and the possibilities on what a person could do are interesting to think about!

For sharing, I think mailing lists might be an option? There would always be the risk of someone uploading a virus to the USB or SD card that's being passed around, so I figure there would be someone, or some sort of team in each group to check that everything's clean before it gets sent out to everyone. I think local computer groups would pop up, since I feel like creating an in-person community would end up being and feeling more trustworthy.
In the past year or so I've started slowly (soo slowly XD) downloading stuff online so I can have them in case it's taken offline. Mostly just in a "what if my favorite author deletes their account and their stories are gone forever?  " kind of way. So I have about three thousand fanfiction downloaded, and I have a decent amount of fan art saved. I'm wanting to start trying to save useful information, but I haven't gotten to that yet (Except for one or two disorganized documents with different tumblr posts pasted into them lol)

Now I'm thinking about tinkering with the idea of downloading entire websites for personal use... I'm not sure how someone would go about that so I'm probably going to put that on hold for now, since I have so many things I'm wanting to work on