#memories from 1997, using #slackware #linux installed from a CD with the #windowmaker DE, it looked great at 1024*768 on a 15' CRT monitor. The popular browser was Netscape Navigator which was crashing a lot on linux, and I had to compile nearly everything as programs were never packaged. And of course, always having problems with compiler/libraries versions.

That was the pre-ADSL era, having to pay every minute spent online with a 5 kilobytes/second bandwidth modem connected on the DB25 serial port. Nice thing, no wifi driver issues at that time, as wifi and internet boxes did not exist yet.

PCs were already powerful enough to emulate not-yet-vintage consoles like #megadrive and #supernintendo .

Nearly 30 years later linux has a larger audience, we have 4k monitors and optical fiber connections, nearly every single (even niche!) program is packaged, DEs have matured.

Everything is much more comfortable, but the #hacker (in its original sense) spirit is still there 🤟