I Love the Computer
A tech veteran traces their lifelong, deeply personal love affair with computers, from the nostalgic days of a childhood IBM 486 to a career in programming. This poignant reflection resonates with many in the HN community who share a similar origin story, while also voicing a shared frustration over how the internet's early promise has been commercialized and exploited by current tech trends. Despite the cynicism, the author's fundamental affection for the "computer" endures.
The Lowdown
The author, inspired by a podcast quote about the ill effects of the AI hype cycle, pens a heartfelt ode to their lifelong connection with computers, expressing a profound love for the machine itself amidst concerns about the current trajectory of the tech industry. This personal narrative details how a beige box in childhood blossomed into a defining passion and career.
- Early Fascination: The journey began around age six with an IBM 486 DX6 running Windows 3.0, a "daunting and foreign machine" brought home by their mother, which served as a rare point of stability during a period of family transition.
- Print Era Discovery: In the pre-Internet 90s, enthusiast magazines like TEKNO and PC Gamer were crucial, shaping the author's "geek" identity and providing a window into hardware, software, and a budding culture, despite their later recognition of the problematic content within.
- Internet's Embrace: Moving to Malaysia granted access to a permanent internet connection, leading to a "wide and deep" exploration of GeoCities, early Java games, and forums, where the author found a sense of belonging and self-discovery.
- Programming Journey: Despite an initial comical failure trying to "compile" Java by renaming a
.txtto.exe, programming became a core skill, cultivated through school and university, leading to a diverse career "slinging code." - Modern Day Disillusionment: The author expresses frustration with how the technology they love has been co-opted by "snake oil salesmen," exploitative capitalists, and "brogrammers," turning the internet into a "mire of dark patterns" and AI into a "plagiarism machine."
- Enduring Hope: Despite the negative trends, the author notes positive shifts like programming's increased accessibility and a cultural move towards federated, self-hosted, and freer alternatives, reaffirming that "weirdos" will always find their corners.
Ultimately, the piece is a reaffirmation of a deep, abiding love for the computer, a central force that shaped the author's life, identity, and career, enduring through technological evolution and societal shifts, even as they embrace the identity of "just some strange guy with strange interests."