Saw this in Syndicated Linux News. Written by a self-proclaimed Slacker. Gives a shout-out to one of Chess Griffin's projects.

Compute like it's 1989

Well, Slacker may not be an overstatement as Seth Kenlon claims to be one of the maintainers of slackermedia.ml. By the way I like their web page, and they use Studioware that has a space on SlackDocs. So we are somehow en pays de connaissance.

Incidentally the computer that the lady is using looks more like 1978 than 1989. See the dual 8 inches floppy drive on the right of the screen? I used one looking very similar at that time, a DTC(1) micro file (Intel 8080 inside). A RAM of 64K was then enough to store a Basic interpreter in two different locations (did that to translate into French the reserved words and error messages). O tempora, O mores!

(1)Data Terminals & Communications

I can attest that Seth Kenlon almost always knows whereof he speaks.

(The only reason I threw in the "always" is that nobody's perfect, but he's darned good.)

Interesting article (I, too, never have known that you can do graphics without X). Gotta try that.

I always feel that I'm stuck in the 70's, 80's or 90's. I come to Linux from Unix (System 3 to start with) and am too set in my ways to sample all the stuff that is available but that I don't want to bother learning. I use KornShell exclusively, I keep Brian Kernighan's AWK source at hand (and check for updates every six months or so) so I don't have to use gawk with all its "extensions."

I have a cell phone that's a phone. It's turned off and sitting in a storage spot in the instrument panel of my truck -- it doesn't get turned on unless I need it for something and I won't use it while I'm driving. Wow-Zowie cell phones hold no interest whatsoever, don't give a hoot in hell about having all those "aps" or texting (whatever the hell that is) or watching a movie on a... what, 4 inch screen? Lordy.

I remember when man pages were, strangely enough, a page, maybe two. instead of a novel.

I know how to use pipes (even sideways and backwards pipes), sed, vi (even though it's emulator, not ex (do kinda like vim except I can't figure out how to turn off the color nonsense). I write shell programs (and I have never called them "scripts;" where the heck did that come from), I write C programs, I build libraries, I know how to use make, cripes, I use lex and yaac and actually know what I'm doing. I do not like things like eclipse, too dang much work just to get 'em to go.

I know how to use nroff and troff and the macros (write my own man pages with the man macros). I really don't like using LibreOffice or OpenOffice, I prefer the simplicity of plain text processed though trof or something.

I'm perfectly happy with the 23-inch LED monitor I have, sharp as a tack, no heat, small footprint. I'm perfectly happy with the Zero keyboard, Cherry keys, positive click, fits my hands perfectly (really, really do not like my laptop, can't type on the damned thing). I like a Microsoft scroll mouse (only good thing they make). Good feel, nice weight, wheel works, what more can you ask. I don't care that it's got a wire, don't want to be buying batteries all time.

Don't use Wi-Fi. Everything has an Ethernet cable. Well, every so often the laptop goes where there's only Wi-Fi, otherwise it's plugged in). And I lug a mouse with me 'cause I can't get the hang of the finger pad.

The systems are fine, two of 'em run headless, that leaves this one and the laptop. I run Slackware (it's the only Linux distribution that makes sense to me and it solid, dependable and a joy to use. It was the first Linux I had (long time ago) and stuck with it ever since.

What the heck, I might just switch to Lynx.

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