At work with no Internet

Jose asks last night on Twitter this question:

I've been there and I don't want to go back.  At least I don't think so.  When my IT career first started, there was no such thing as Internet connectivity.  Even at home I didn't have access when I first started in the field, it was still all about the BBS.

So if you were on the job and suddenly were asked to compile a list of data for all patients in the system with a specific diagnosis (yes this happened to me) and you did happen to know the data held on those refrigerator sized servers in that cold room was in a relational database you:

1. Already knew how to do this from a previous job - I didn't.
2. Worked with someone who knew this from a previous job who was kind enough to point you in the right direction - I didn't.
3. Had access to a shelf full of books and manuals along with copious amounts of coffee, spare time, curiosity, and determination - Austin circa 1992.

I could list out, one by one, a large list of things that I would miss about the modern-second internet that help me in my day to day work but I will just say this:  There would be no Google.

There are other things like VPN for relatively cheap office-to-office connectivity compared to the old days of ISDN or Frame Relays.  Also, the ability to work from Starbucks when I just cannot stand listening to the phone ring anymore.