A personal history of computing
   by Josh Rubin
   http://tincansandstring.net/computer_history.txt
   Updated 1/14/2017

about 1962
I have a chalkboard.

about 1965
I have a plastic Digicomp I mechanical computer. I follow the manual,
but I don't understand what it does or why it was given to me.

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 because Teletype machines
only go a few characters per second.

1975
I use a Brunsviga mechanical calculator.

1976
Apple computers are ridiculous.
I buy an HP programmable calculator.

1977
I use RSX-11M on a Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-11.

I learn that the German Enigma cipher was broken during World War II.
The DES standard is published.
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.

1987
I buy a PC, but DOS is ridiculous. I use it to learn C.

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

about 1989
I buy an old Sinclair ZX80 at a computer show.

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.

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

about 1994
My hand-eye coordination is good but I can't use a mouse.

1996
I skip Windows 95.

1999
Windows 98 is ok for reading email.

2002
Windows XP works well.

2004
I get the domain name tincansandstring.net.

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

2007
I prepare to switch to Linux because Microsoft is about to stop
selling Windows XP.

  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
I skip Microsoft Vista.
I make an ethernet cable.
My Linksys router runs Linux.

2009
I skip Windows 7.
Kathy buys a Macbook.
I buy a Canon network printer.

2010
Kathy buys a used iMac. Lightning burns out the ethernet port.

2011
Kathy buys a Cisco Flip video camera.

2012
I skip Windows 8.
I get a Crashplan account.
Crashplan drops support for Apple OS X 10.4. (sigh)
The Mozilla Foundation drops support for Thunderbird on 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.
I replace the print head on the Canon printer.
My Dell Optiplex dies. I buy a new one with Windows 7.
Kath buys a Macbook Pro, and then the old Macbook dies.

2014
On April 8 2014, Microsoft ends support for Windows XP.
May God have mercy on its soul.
The disk in my Optiplex dies. Dell sends a new disk.

2015
I skip Windows 10.
Our Samsung "Smart TV" is a computer system running Linux.
My Apple iPhone 4S takes a swim in a hotel pool, and turns into a brick.
I take over my wife's phone, and she buys a newer iPhone.

2016
I upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10, one month before it stops being free.
Kath gets a Windows 10 laptop.
I have a globally routable IPV6 address.
Spectrum takes over Time Warner Cable. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

2017
January 14: Nothing has broken yet.
Apple will now replace batteries in iPhones newer than the 4S.
My iPhone 4S won't hold a charge. Apple has no solution.
I buy a Motorola Android (Linux!) phone for half the price of an iPhone.
Our 8 year old Canon printer complains that the "ink backstop" is full. Hard to fix.