A personal history of computing
   by Josh Rubin
   http://tincansandstring.net/computer_history.txt
   Updated 02/22/2024

about 1962
I have a chalkboard.

about 1965
I have a plastic Digicomp I mechanical computer.

1969
I learn to type.

1970
I am fascinated by a clothes washer sized disk drive.

1972
I write a little program for an IBM 1620, on punched cards.

1973
I use a slide rule.

1974
My typing skills are useless. Teletype machines only go a few characters per second.

1975
I use a Brunsviga mechanical calculator.

1976
Apple computers are ridiculous.

1977
I use RSX-11M on a Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-11.
Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman invent the RSA algorithm, angering NSA.

1981
The IBM PC is ridiculous.

1982
I test an early Ethernet card.

about 1982
A friend and I illegally install Unix on a work computer.

1983
I use VMS on a Digital Equipment Corporation VAX.

1984
The IBM AT is ridiculous.

1985
I repair a lightbulb by jiggling it until the filament ends touch and then weld.

1987
I buy a PC, but DOS is ridiculous.

1988
Microsoft hires Dave Cutler, a major contributer to RSX-11 and VMS.

about 1989
I install djgpp on my PC so I can use unix tools.

1991
Finnish student Linus Torvalds buys an 80386 computer and starts writing Linux.

about 1992
I use Bix, a bulletin board system run by Byte Magazine. It uses Unix.

1993
They make me use an IBM PC at work for reading email.

about 1994
I port some unix utilities to VMS.

1996
I skip Windows 95.

1999
Windows 98 is ok for reading email.

2002
Windows XP works well.
I install Cygwin so I can run Linux programs.

2004
I get the domain name tincansandstring.net. It is hosted on Linux.

2006
A private LAN links my apartment with Kath's apartment.

2007
Microsoft is about to stop selling Windows XP. Time to switch to Linux.

  Linux				$0
  2 used Dell Optiplex GX110's	$0
  1 used LCD monitor		$0
  2 used 200GB disks		$70
  1 gigabit ethernet switch	$25
  2 gigabit NICs		$50

2008
My Linksys router runs Linux.

2009
Kathy buys a Macbook, which runs the Unix-like Darwin OS.

2010
Kathy buys a used iMac. Lightning fries the ethernet port.

2011
Kathy buys a Cisco Flip video camera.

2012
Crashplan and the Mozilla Foundation drop support for Apple OS X 10.4. (sigh)
The Apple Store won't help up us upgrade to a later version. (sigh)

2013
I install Linux on an "obsolete" Apple iBook G4.
My Dell Optiplex dies. I buy a new one with Windows 7.
Kath buys a Macbook Pro just before the old Macbook dies.

2014
On April 8 2014, Microsoft ends support for Windows XP.
May God have mercy on its soul.

2015
98% of all public servers on the Internet run a Unix-like operating system.
Our Samsung "Smart TV" runs Linux.

2016
I have a globally routable IPV6 address.

2017
I buy an Android phone for much less than an iPhone. It runs Linux.

2018
Our one year old Brother printer can't feed paper any more.
We buy a Canon "small business" inkjet.

2019
The power company installs a "smart electric meter."

2020
On January 14 2020, Microsoft ends support for Windows 7.
I buy a refurbished Dell Optiplex SFF and install Linux on my old computer.

2021
My new Android phone runs three days without charging.
My new Samsung TV runs Linux.

2022
I buy another cheap Android phone. It runs Linux.
Microsoft updates Windows 10 to Windows 11.

2023
Three companies (microsoft, google, apple) want me to do things their way.
I'm getting too old to fight. I bought an iPhone.

2024
We switch from Spectrum internet to Frontier fiber.
1 Gbps down and 1 Gbps up, but no IPV6 support (ugh ...)