My first experience with computers was in 2nd grade (around 1984)--Our class had just received a new Commodore 64. At the time, I was the "guru," as I seemed to be the only one that knew how to run it. Later, in 7th grade (1989), our classroom was the only one in the school that had both an Apple II-e and Commodore PETs! (The ones where you ran programs via a cassette tape...I think VIC-20s were the same way.)
In high school, we mainly only used computers for word processing, hence, we had Apple II-e clones...this was through 1994. I had a few friends that had prodigy, so we played with that here and there.
Then came college. At the time, the internet as a tool for the whole world was just taking shape from what I could see. The only way I could get an e-mail address was through my university. And none of my other friends had one--this was early 1995. At the same time, our school used a bbs, and I was proud to have my own little bulletin board (thanks to one of my residents who controlled the server, apparently).
When I went back to St. Louis in 1996, I had some familiarity with the computer, but mainly with Apples (particularly the 8200 Power Mac)...that was what my new school (UM-St. Louis) primarily had. I loved them, but I also remember how it took FOREVER to load up Netscape 2.02. In fact, I started Sycamoreland using a Mac at college.
Truth be told, I had no real idea how to use Windows until late 1997. I hated Windows, but then I also saw (at the time) how limited I would be with a Mac. I basically self-taught myself how to use Windows 95...and finally bought a 'puter in early 1998.
And I can honestly say, it was Depeche Mode that compelled me to buy a computer--if I hadn't visited depechemode.com one day in Sept. 1997, gone into the chat room, and met a ton of people, I may have not bought a computer or have started Sycamoreland until much much later. (And in fact, I may have never moved to Washington, DC, then Philadelphia.)
That's probably more info that anyone wanted to know.
But seriously, the computer has really changed everything, particularly in the area of gathering and processing information. It's probably saved people a ton of money in making long distance phone calls, sending things via mail, and arm cramping from writing out letters, notes, etc. And above all, it gave all those nerdy computer geeks some prestige and respect...and a bit of scratch to boot.