I am a US natave, my first love was electronics, but as hobbie shops disapeared, i became more attracted to computers. At that time the tech landscape was totally different than it is now. Owning a computer was more of a novelty than a necessity, not to mention cost. A 286 with 256k of memory and a 10 meg. hdd - with 8 to 16 bit cga color;  was about $2500.00 WOW just think of that for a moment...

So, computers became a hobbie for me, but I eventually became frustrated with the doninant interfaces not to mention the bussiness model around software. I remember useing an Imaging software that ran on dos had 24 bit color, a point and cilck interface, mutiple windows, it worked in 512-640 mem. and almost no one heard it. What? it was'nt on an apple and did'nt need windoze!!! AND it was resonably priced.

But software and the companies like that, were either bought or ruined by the bigies and dominant player. Software was being hijacked into a expensive and proprietary model. If you did'nt have the money you could'nt use the software; and it was becoming worse with each new release.

I began a search for what I now realize was freedom. Freedom to use good software at a reasonable price. I found GNU Linux, BSD, FOSS ect. That was...  (I Think) at least 13 yr. ago. Wow, Consider where we are Now..Linux Mint, Cinnamin. MATE.  Thank God for gnu Linux and FOSS. Keep at Guys; You're only limited by Your Imagination.               R.M.K.