But, compared to the numbers that have computers (and internet enabled computing devices) today, it wasn’t a lot. People who HEARD about the internet from someone else went out and bought into it with the hardware and modem to access it. And, the internet wasn’t free, it was paid for via Compuserve, AOL, OR through a cable operator. There was a cost of entry (hardware and software) which would cost more than a Quest today, which is a standalone device.
The information was not free, there were ads involved, and the access wasn’t free as it was paid for up front. Meta likely won’t be much different other than the Quest being the screen instead of a desktop.