I loved my KayPro II.

I loved it not only because it was my first computer, although that helped. I loved it because it taught me so much; I learned about computing, and not just about a particular operating environment. I loved it because within a year I could teach myself to write assembler programs for rescuing crashed WordStar documents and manage files. I loved it because I could carefully follow directions to double the clock speed by actually soldering jumpers on the motherboard. I loved it because even I could read its schematic.

I don’t love my current PC. It’s a big honking machine and I like how it works: 3.2mh processor, 0.75T of storage, two screens, etc. But I’d ditch it tomorrow for a bigger, faster machine. My emotional attachment is zero.

As DRM locks down my machine so that it becomes more like a TV, I’m going to feel more alienated from it.

Many Mac owners feel attached to their machines for a variety of reasons: Its elegance, its Unix hackability (in the good sense), its not-Windows-ness. Of course, we’ll see how much Apple’s love of DRM weakens that good feeling over time.

I do not expect to love a computer again. I would be happy to be surprised.

[Tags: windows apple microsoft macintosh kaypro]

Categories: Uncategorized dw