It wasn't really very long ago.
Trying to conduct an introductory internet class with ten pupils in front
of two computers and only one modem isn't only counterproductive. It's
also anachronistic already. Still, it was only a short while ago that this
seemed to be feasible. After all, did I really think that my pupils were
going to purchase computers for their own apartments? It seemed to make
more sense to expect them to prepare a schedule and use the computer room
where we studied, perhaps in pairs. And it wasn't only me who thought this
made sense. I doubt that more than two of my pupils even passingly considered
purchasing a computer for his or her apartment. Today, of course, most
of them have them. Most of these are probably hand-me-downs from their
children or even grandchildren, but they're on the whole perfectly workable,
and my pupils who thought that they'd never have a need for a machine of
this sort can hardly remember how they survived without it.