After many years of providing online services, we regret to inform you that as of June 30, 2009 the CompuServe Classic service will no longer operate as an Internet Service Provider. We hope this does not cause you an inconvenience.

CompuServe (classic), founded in 1969, inventor of the GIF format, involuntary pioneer in the area of online services-related prosecution infamously known for its PDP-10-style user IDs and e-mail addresses, and in 1995 my first gateway to the Internet, is closing down.

Goodbye, CompuServe. Thanks for introducing me to this thing called "the Internet".

Yours,
101503,1656