@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@. =@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@% .:. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@% =@@# .@@@@@. #@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@% @-.@= :@- -@# #@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ %- :+**:. -@= *@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ .=*********-. *@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@% +=*******=-*= +@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+ -+-==-=**=. .@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@% .=*=.. -@. .@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@% #@@=--%@@@@% *@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@= .@@@@@@@@@@@@* :@@@@@@@@@@
because it has sort-of gotten to "be a thing" Linux fans do...
the following is the tale of my journey to using Linux.
I finished University before the dawn of the current millenium.
I saw fewer than a half-dozen laptops on-campus ever in that 4 years,
some classes required hand-written work, even having access to a computer required
a scheduled appointment at the schools computer-lab for many students of that day.
I wanted to learn, but the only classes beyond keyboarding were computer science
classes which required more extensive math than I am capable of.
for the next few years, computer labs and the machines of acquaintances were my
only exposure... I was unaware of bbc boards and have always found the chat format
to be an unacceptably infuriating mockery of useful communication...
so I missed much of the early internet's major networking and information sharing channels.
since I knew no one else with the same type of interests in this as me,
the one accessible option visable to me at the time, -just to be exposed to this stuff,
was in spending time just window shopping the newly appearing home-computer-tech
related aisles at big-box electronics stores and reading packaging and later
searching for terms, products or subjects back at home.
One of the things which caught my eye had been Linux CD installation sets...
both Redhat and Mandrake software boxes I had read, then researched and I was amazed
and excited to hear what Linux was, and I wanted a piece of it.
I would eventually take out a loan for $1500 and buy a new Compaq laptop running Windows ME.
it sucked... but it was my first computer.
I decided to buy the Mandrake Linux 8.0 5CD/Book box set (on sale for $80) mostly for...
1- the monetary support to the developers
2- the telephone support advertised on the packaging since I was a noob
3- the reference book that came with the installation discs
4- manufactured CDs since consumer CD burners were just getting to be a thing.
my first installation attempts got me as far as clicking "Install" and then
the screen would hang at blinking cursor on black with no change or response in 24hrs.
I tried it a handful of times with the same result and so I set out to call on the telephone
support, and caught some unsuspecting developer totally off gurd, likely
at some bizarre hour, and his first question was "How did you get this number!?"
He had obiously not gotten that memo.
after realizing I had bought 8.0 after 8.1 was coming out (and 8.0 was no longer supported)
I mentioned my interest in a dual-boot setup... and with that all hint of a customer
service tone was gone from his voice and it was obvious our conversation was over.
without any leads, input or assistance and without a spec of noob-level help to be found online,
my ONLY option... despite its seeming futility and insanity, was to continue to try the install.
I spent the next 2 days repeatedly re-attempting to install with the same hang as a result,
again and again and over and over.
for reasons that exceed reason... after 2 days of this, it finally ticked-past the
point in the install where it had hung!!!??? ...and proceeded to install flawlessly over the
course of the next hour with numerous and repeated swap-outs of the installation CDs.
even the hardware suppport was great for such early days, and lousy hardware on my end.
I have used Linux as my primary desktop OS ever since!
Mandrake/Mandriva Ubuntu Mint Arch Kali Lubuntu at varying times for varying things..
I attempted Suse looong ago but there were support issues, need to try that and Fedora again eventually.
internet, office, photo/graphics, music player, printing, cd and dvd burning/ripping...
Ive done all of these things in Linux from the beginning.
One place where Linux was somewhat lagging behind other OSs of the early 2000s
was in the audio/music production department.
I kept a keen eye on this over time, as synthesis and audio production were among my larger interests
regarding technology in general.
by 2004 I had devised a way to use Hydrogen Drum Machine more like a sample/loop-based DAW.
I made a couple dozen tracks between 2004 and 2010 using this method entirely.
I've always used Audacity, as it has been a strong contender for a long time.
Now, having learned to use Pure Data to my satisfaction, this will be where all my sound
production effors will stay for some time.
there has been alot of talk about toxicity in the Linux community being a putoff to new users
this is absolutely the truth. there are some seriously slick, greasy fucking turds floating in
pool of Linux users... there are a few on every forum just waiting to beat you with their leet
penguin weenies... but this is equally true in most corners of the internet and especially
anywhere there is some percieved element of "coolness" and hierarchy of knowledge, Linux
has this problem no more than most anything else online IMO.
_ _ __ __ ____ ____
| |_| || | |/ (_,`| ===|
|_| |_| \___/ \____)|____|
_____ _ _ ____ __ _ __ __ ____
|_ _|| |_| | / () \ | \| || |/ / (_ (_`
|_| |_| |_|/__/\__\|_|\__||__|\__\.__)__)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
a tremendous, special huge thanks to the following
for your priceless help in the last few years getting me
up to speed on many Linux things I spent years NOT knowing!
Jay LaCroix - Learn Linux TV -
https://www.learnlinux.tv/
Veronica K.C. -
https://vkc.sh/ ,
https://tinkerbetter.tube/c/veronicaexplains/videos
and ALL the brave souls who have had the stomach to fucking dare ask a noob question
on various Linux forums over the years...
THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
