21 things that were a BIG deal 20 years ago. (Now? Not so much.)

Twenty years ago, there was hysteria in the streets and lines around the block. It had nothing to do with an overexposed boy band. It was to buy one item.

Windows 95.

The hype around the release of Windows 95, a computer operating system that comes automatically with any computer you will buy today, was massive. In addition to the ‘Start’ button, Windows 95 allowed users to save files with names up to a whole 250 characters (an unheard of feature until then). It was launched with commercials featuring Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones and was endorsed by actors on the hit TV show Friends. In short, it was a REALLY BIG FREAKING DEAL.

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And all this for something that, at the time, couldn’t even connect you to the internet.

Back in 1995, there were a lot of very cool things we wanted desperately. Things we lusted after and believed we couldn't ever live without. It's fair to say 20 years or so ago, the following things were a really big deal.

Now? Not so much.

1. Dial-up internet.

Press play to be taken straight back to 1999.

2. The Nokia 3310

Kids these days will never know the struggle of having to press the button 3 times for one letter when texting.

3. Playing the game 'Snake' on your Nokia.

Hours were wasted. HOURS. There was a point in time where we couldn't imagine a world without this game. We were yet to hear about Candy Crush.

4. Floppy Disks.

They were a revolution at the time, but it wasn't long before we had much more sophisticated methods of transporting information. This is the icon we still click on to save all of our data, yet most kids have never actually seen one.

5. Rollerblades.

These were the shit. A must-have for anyone who wanted to be cool. Who knew they would die a slow, yet necessary, death (although not before breaking numerous tibias).

6. Mood rings.

Everyone with a pulse wanted one of these. Using your body heat to predict what you were feeling, the ring changed colour. It was soon discovered that these were about as truthful as a politician. Here is a more accurate representation of what the colour changes actually meant:

7. Encarta Encyclopaedia 99.

Poor Microsoft, they had no way of knowing one day there would be a thing called Google, and Encarta would lose its currency faster than Greece.

8. Reader's Digest.

Who knew there could be a day where all your highbrow reading activities would not include a copy of this beside the toilet?

9. The two piece friendship necklace.

10. The answering machine.

Or, as it became known, 'the popularity meter'. Coming home to zero flashing messages was really quite depressing. We don't need these anymore because we don't need a home phone. And we can;t be bothered to listen to the messages left on our mobiles.

11. The fax machine.

The sound of a fax machine will be one that lives with some of us for the rest of our lives. Sure, you can still find one today but why would we ever bother using one? Scanning, emailing or simply taking a photo and texting it through will suffice. Try telling that to the uncomprehending people of 2005.

12.  The Y2K Bug.

The Y2K bug, for those who have forgotten, threatened the world as we knew it would implode when the clock ticked over from the year 1999 to the year 2000. It turned out to be a total non-event and totally sucked for those who stockpiled cans and built bunkers.

13. Bum bags (or fanny packs)

Inexplicably, we were all coerced into wearing one of these in the name of "safety" when travelling overseas. in 2015, these are only worn by drug dealers named Todd.

14. The Walkman

When you think about it, this actually was the first iPod. So hot back then, so redundant in 2015.

15. Disposable cameras.

Or really, cameras of any kind.

16. Sunflowers perfume.

Maybe you had a different variation. Maybe your man wore Cool Water or you were fond of CK1, but whatever it was, there didn't ever feel like a time where you'd consider bathing yourself in anything else.

18. The Pager.

These were the only way to be contacted away from your home or office phone 20 years ago. The were necessary for doctors and posturing wankers the world over.

19. Chat rooms

Redundant now that we have Tinder, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat et all. For the uninitiated, these were random chat rooms you logged into and spoke to people all over the world. From memory, most people just used them to talk dirty in private chat rooms. Which proves that as much as everything changes, it still remains the same.

20. The camcorder.

Being cumbersome and heavy to lug around did not stop us from investing in camcorders 20 years ago. Now they fit in the palm of our hands. And are much better quality.

21. Microsoft paint.

Such art.

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Oh yes please! The next big thing is boozy milkshakes.