AOL 3.0 dropped in 1996 and was a game-changer for internet newbies. This was the version that made “You’ve Got Mail” a daily dopamine hit. It added built-in web browsing for the first time—no more separate Netscape windows—and let people customize their profiles with backgrounds, fonts, and sounds. Chat rooms were still king, but now you could access the internet without leaving AOL’s walled garden. It wasn’t flashy, but it made getting online simple for millions of people who didn’t grow up with tech. Then came AOL 4.0 in ‘98 and blew the doors open—but 3.0 was the turning point that made the internet feel personal.