Back around 1992-93, There were several billboards that were black with giant white letters that spelled ".com" I had no clue what those letters
meant back then, nor did anyone I knew. We all pronounced it "Period Com." The signs were up for several months, then vanished. A few years passed,
and dot com was a well known thing. Here's what really twists my noggin, NOBODY seems to remember these billboards! My computer history knowledge is
spotty at best, so answer me this: what year did the internet AS WE KNOW IT come into existence? Was it before or after 1992? Seems like a case of
meme planting using outdoor advertizing. The ads showed no company name or anything that could identify it as coming from a specific business. Do any
of you remember these ads? If so, what do you think was their purpose?
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The first time I used the internet was in 1993 or 1994, I was using a friends computer on AOL. I got busted for looking at things I shouldn't have.
(I didn't know about the history files at the time  ).
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I've been online since 1996 and it was around for a few years before that.
Al Gore was pushing it as the information super highway since at least 1992 I think.
Perhaps the billboards you saw were for Network Solutions.
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I just find it strange that nobody remembers these signs. There were 5 of them here in Milwaukee alone. I guess it's hard to remember things without
a solid mental frame around it.
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.COM, .NET, .GOV, .ORG, and .EDU top-level-domains were around in the 1980's.
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I am also from the Milwaukee area, and I too remember the .COM billboards. There were different versions of it too, some had white letters on black
background and others had black letters on white background. I have no idea what they were for, though I was firmiliar with the internet and .com
extension at the time. (My step-father has worked for KNPP for years and had an internet connection at my parents house back in 1992, though there
wasn't much out there to do for "fun" on the web at that time.) However, before I moved to Florida in 2002 I remember actually seeing a .COM
billboard again. It was in the area of North Av. and Humboldt, the billboard hadn't been maintained in years and the images were peeled off in
layers, one of which was a white on black .COM. I hadn't seen one in years. I'm sorry I can't offer any relevant information as to what they were
for, but at least I can tell you that you weren't just seeing things. It confused me at the time also, even though I knew what .com was, I did not
understand the relevance of the billboards. If that billboard is still there and still not properly maintained, you might be able to see the old .COM
I saw. It might be worth checking out...... if you do I'd be interested to hear if it's still there.
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I've frequented the east side lately, and sadly the billboards have been in constant use as of late, no peeling layers in the Riverwest area. Thank
you for remembering! I was questioning my sanity for awhie there. I remember there being one near Dancing Ganesha on Brady (north side of the street,
though). Many of my friends lived RIGHT THERE AND STILL DON'T REMEMBER. Sorry for yelling, but I felt like Roddy Piper in They Live. Does anyone from
outside of Milwaukee remember these cryptic things? 
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