Peter's Computer Background Summary
My 1986 Tandy Color Computer 3 ran the Unix-like OS-9 Level 2 by Microware (not to be confused with the Apple's Mac OS9). In 1990 I was a CSR responsible for looking after clients' Remanco restaurant POS systems which used a Motorola server running SCO Unix. Both of these gave me a good introduction to the *nix world more than a decade ago. I've also played around with IBM's OS/2, CP/M, and VAX/VMS.
The first IBM compatible PCs I used had Intel 80286 CPUs and ran MS-DOS 3.3. By the time 486s were available, Windows 3.11 was the OS of choice. In my computer and office supply store, at about 1992, we had two networked using Arcnet and coax cable so I could do receiving in my office while sales were happening on the front counter. We installed various networks for clients, and one for an insurance adjuster was a Unix server hooked to a bunch of dumb terminals.
Back in the early 1990s I had an opportunity to experience the internet pre-GUI. It was all text based, and not even as nice as some of the BBSes we frequented. Web browsing was done with Lynx, and email through Pine. There was IRC for live chatting, but I think that came off the ISP's server at some point. Everything was dial-up over a 14.4bps modem, and for a time I even had to call long distance for a connection. It didn't really matter whether I used my CoCo or 486SX, except the CoCo only had a 2400bps modem, since it just went through any terminal program. Ah, the good old days! :)
Before returning to Lewisporte from Mount Pearl in 1994 I started to hear about Linux, but didn't have an opportunity to actually start playing with it until we bought a new family computer in 2004, and the old Compaq got to shake off its Windows 98SE shackles - so to speak. It was moved down to my office into the space the CoCo3 used to occupy, next to my radio gear. Hardware was pulled from some of the other old computers kicking around the house and the RAM upgraded by another 128MB.
I tried Debian, and maybe some others, but the first distribution I got up and running with a web server, and functional as a possible Windows system replacement was Libranet version 2.8.1. It was fairly friendly, and I was happy enough with it until the next version came out and it went from being free to costing $90US, so I started hunting around for a replacement. Eventually, I settled on Ubuntu/Kubuntu about the time 5.10 was released. Ubuntu has been upgraded twice since to 6.06 LTS, and just recently to 6.10. I might give Linux Mint a try, and also see about Xubuntu on one of my older computers.
KDE is nice and fancy, but Gnome seems to run a bit better and smoother on the old computer, so that is now my main Linux desktop. To play with KDE once in a while I boot up Knoppix or PCLinuxOS on my main computer. That one is a 2.2GHz Dell 2400 with 768MB RAM I've had for a couple years. Linux is quite a bit zippier on that machine, even running off a CD, than the 233MHz Compaq with 256MB RAM. This has got me wanting a newer Linux computer. I'd like to find something used and cheap around 800MHz, and put in about 1GB of RAM.
One of the reasons I got into Linux, besides being fed up with Windows, was because I started being called in to help with a local business that was switching their accounting/POS system over to a Red Hat Linux-based one. I worked with them to rewire a dozen locations for Ethernet, install new computers and peripherials, setup switches, routers, and firewalls, and debug the system. I now occasionally go store to store cleaning the systems, and doing updates and scans.
Future plans have a 30GB HDD I upgrade to an 80GB in the Dell replacing the 6GB on the Compaq to be used as a file server, and backup drive to all the computers on the home network (most running XP Home or Pro). I got my hands on a Colorado TR-3 1.6/3.2GB tape drive I'm going to try to get working for doing Linux system backups. Our Brother HL-10h laser printer will be attached so it is easily accessed by anyone wanting to make a cheaper print-out than from their local inkjet. The webcam is not yet working, but once it is I might stick it out the window and put the image on a webpage.
My limited programming/scripting experience includes: Tandy Extended Color Disk Basic, Microware Basic09, MS Qbasic, Vax Basic, Vax Fortran, Progress, Clarion, HTML/CSS/PHP, Javascript, and others.
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