date: Tue 28 Apr 2026 10:33:46 PM PDT
subj: computing, retro, for how long
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My tools are computer hardware, wires/cords/cables (ethernet,
usb, video, audio, printer, power), operating systems, network
devices. At some level I build information technology (IT)
infrastructure. Operating systems are one of my tools.  Server
software is one of my tools. I don't write much code, unless its
to run or manage an OS, networked device, or some server
(dameon). 

Over the years I've collected a decent amount of computers, many
of which were hammydowns (hand me downs), peoples throw aways.
I've had to buy my share of systems, and although most of what I
purchased as computers, have been are single board computers,
used computers, and a few have been for real lab work (new).
Every one of those computers is kinda special to me in some way
and because of the role I play in IT if those computers are not
operational my OCD urges me to remedy them. I wasted a lot of
time on a nine dollar single board computer by Next Thing,
called the C.H.I.P. 

This has me wondering what will become of these systems, when I
am no longer their steward. I think of all those retro computer
hobbist, and youtubers, and how many of the computers they
repair, rebuild, and showcase are from dead men, who's family
had no idea what was on them or what to do with them. Are they
just into retro computing to make money via videos? Thinking of
my own systems, and their setup my wife, and children would have
no clue how to make the internet work if any of the systems went
down. I think of all the files I have on these computers, and
how if my time is up tomorrow, its likely all the files I've
created, authored, and collected are likely to perish, just as I
have. The floppy discs I have many of them full of something,
some even OEM software, all become little pieces of trash, when
I'm gone, just like the computers. This all has me thinking why
not start trashing them now! If they are only meaningful to me,
or to the owner/user of the devices, why do they matter at all
as a thing to keep, like a piece of art made from crystal, those
things stay in the family where as great grandpa's tools are
usually sold for pennies on the dollar. 

I've setup my home network, completed different compared to a
basic household. Its more like a small business network. If
something happened where I wasn't available and one of the
systems broke down, the probability one of my family members
could get the network connectivity restored is very close to
zero. This got me thinking about creating documentation, printed
documentation about each system, and as I think about technical
documentation and the onerous level of details required to
deliver a semblance of understanding, concise enough for a
person who hasn't already spent years reading computing manuals,
as well as exploring systems, to even consider perusing such
literature, is tantamount to wasting ones life moments. For
myself I used to enjoy reading manuals, and technical documents,
but I also think the enjoyability of reading books like science
fiction provides for more value about life, unless there is a
specific need such as how to configure a system to provide
internet access when none is currently active, or accessible.

My job has been how to make computers work, keep them running,
performant, and make sure the data hosted within remain
available, The what to do with them has been someone else's
goals. As my life got busier, my computing world has been less
about using computing systems for my entertainment (games,
exploration), and more about sharpening my skills. My needs are
so minimal, I can get by with a raspberry-pi 3B+ has my primary
system ninety percent of the time. 

When I see the retro computing youtubers showcase a system from
the old days, then they get it working, or install a basic OS
onto it, I wonder now what?! I really like watching those
videos, well I used to when youtube had people making
interesting videos and not the same formulaic video over and
over. Seeing doom on a system, knowing it meets the minimal
requirements to run the game, again, isn't that interesting for
the thousandth time. I think show us the system being used daily
with the rest of the world, and interacting in a way computing
can, or should be useful? I question mark that idea because when
I was young, the computer was about a game, will it run, what
will it look like, but I've seen all the games, and every
variation of them already so, seeing a new game being a remake of
a game I've already played before, run at one million frames
per second that looks better than the real world, just isn't
interesting anymore. When I was young and I upgraded our
family's 386 computer to a 486, and saw a slight improvement to
game play performance, that by the way only lasts a short while,
because the next game that comes out is going to make your
computer feel as slow as your older 386, the next computer
upgrade really isn't going to be a novel experience anymore, and
if it is, its not going to last long before it becomes another
day at the computer. Sometimes kicking off a job via "at" on a
nix OS, and possibly a few more, even with shit performance in
the end feels the same to me compared to a super snappy system,
because my personal mental speed isn't any faster now. These
days theres nothing to watch the computer do, its already done
doing it! 


... for now I'll finish this here.