[geeks] Found: Ti99/4a!

[Mike Hebel]

DM>   I didn't start as early as some (at least not with computers), but
DM> then I didn't have the benefit of a technically-oriented family
DM> member.

My father was a programmer for Globe Glass and then a Systems Analyst
for Protection Mutual and Northrop in that order.  Unfortunately that
didn't help me much as I had already forgotten almost everything I had
learned once we moved and a computer was no longer available.  Between
that and being too poor to own a system until later in my life it
wasn't easy.

DM>   Store?  I RAN it, I didn't store it.  It was up 24/7 most of the time
DM> (I had a dialin line and my friends used it as an email exchange
DM> system).  It took up about a third of my bedroom...two 6' racks and
DM> one 4' rack.  I had big orange extension cords running to two other
DM> circuits in the apartment to keep it running 'cause 15 amps didn't cut
DM> it.

I only wish I had had access to such things.  Suburbia did not afford
me the luxury of Internet/BBS/or Surplus Shops until I was much, much,
older.

DM>   There was nothing "crazy" about it.  When all the other guys in my
DM> school were breaking into cars and working at Burger King, I was
DM> learning Pascal on a minicomputer, and my mother & grandmother were
DM> very proud of me.  I lived in a small apartment with my grandmother;
DM> she didn't much care for the noise (my system disk was an RK07...it
DM> sounded like a jet plane) but other than that she had no complaints.

My mom viewed it that way too.  My only complaint was that it was hard
as hell to get access to anything in my area except later in
High-School and people had a fit if you were doing anything but what
was assigned to you.  Of course that didn't stop me from using one of
the Macs to forge someone's report card until he could get his grade
up. ;-)

>> Especially the ones nickel and diming me on contracting jobs right now.

DM>   I *hate* nickel & dimers.  *barf*

Yeah, currently they're probably deciding if they can find someone
with my 'nix experience (small as it is) cheaper than what I'm
charging them.

Mike Hebel                        mailto:nimitz at owc.net