A personal history of computing
   by Josh Rubin
   http://tincansandstring.net/computer_history.txt
   Updated 3/16/2021

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."
A damaged audio connector is soldered to the motherboard.

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
I use rsync.net for backups.
The charging port of my phone is broken. I buy another mid-price Android.
It runs three days without charging.