YouTube, that ubiquitous video-sharing platform, launched in February 2005, and its first video went up on April 23 of that year. It was an intriguing premise: for virtually no cost, you could suddenly connect with the whole world, sharing home movies, vlogs, and music videos. The only real barrier to entry was internet access and a working camera.
According to my oldest profile, I joined in June 2006, but it was several months before I uploaded anything.
Back then, all I had was an old VHS-C camcorder, and to get footage onto a computer from a camera like that, you needed a video card installed. Earlier that year I launched my monthly digital newsletter, Legends and Lore of Coles County, Illinois, and I was looking for ways to promote it online (I’ve since uploaded all the old issues to Archive.org).
I drove around Coles County, gathering footage to splice together in Windows Movie Maker, and on September 21, 2006, I uploaded my first 30-second “commercial.” Nineteen years later, it’s still only racked up about 1,000 views.
Oh, to return to those naïve days when you thought all you had to do was post something online and you’d instantly reach a huge audience. Even though Legends and Lore of Coles County is long retired, I keep this video up as a relic from a simpler time, back at the dawn of Web 2.0. It’s a reminder of where I started, and how far I’ve come.
M.A. Kleen 
What are your thoughts?