Well, my original goal was to try and write ten interesting things. Nine (questionably) interesting things later and I haven’t even finished the backstory. So much for brevity!
Still, I’m not entirely unhappy with my progress. The words are starting to flow faster even if there are more than I expect. The process is still excruciatingly painful but I’m whining less. Maybe I’ll get the hang of it after all.
The series as a whole is intended to explain my various interests and campaigns throughout the copyright war. Most of you know I have an obsessive fascination with the subject. Some of you have even suffered torturous longwinded explanations of why. These posts will allow me to spare the rest of you. Do I hear a hallelujah? Now maybe I’ll start getting invited to cocktail parties again.
At this moment I’m planning to continue the series past 10. At least until I’ve documented a few of the fun anecdotes and novel technologies that constituted my past decade. You know, the things I want to reply when people ask, “What have you been up to?” but know you’re only mentally prepared to hear, “Nothing much, what about you?”
Now you can’t say you’ve never asked, and it’s not like I’m forcing you to read the answer. As a matter of fact, there’s really no point in your reading these stories now. I’m just going to bore you with them when I’m old and senile. Ignore them now so they’ll seem fresh.
Anyway, June 5th is going to be a beautiful Sunday. I’ll be thinking happy thoughts and smiling. You do the same!
I fervently hope you continue with your writing. I’m assuming all of this is true, yes? This is an amazing account of the early days of copyright law regarding computers, and knowing that you (vaguely) knew The Mentor, who is pretty much regarded as a legend in the hacking world, is a story on its own.
Don’t think I’m disparaging YOU, though. As a kid born in the 90s, it gives me a weird pseudo-nostalgic feeling to hear about the time of simpler computers, where you could dissect PROM (by the BYTE!) and assembly was a common language to learn. Please, please, PLEASE, continue writing. You have a gift, my friend. Do share it.
Posted by Emb3rSil on June 19th, 2011.
Thank you very much for the kind words! I’ll write as much as I can. I never dreamed that strangers would read this! How did you find it?
Posted by Bob Way on June 19th, 2011.
Thanks for your great blog! Someone posted a link on reddit, and I read through all your posts. Although I graduated HS in 1988, I felt as if I went through a lot of the same frustrations you did. I began programming when I received a VIC-20 in 1980 and programming was pure joy to me for many years — until disillusionment. I bailed out of college in 1989 and began my consulting career.
I think your writing is excellent; please keep at it. You give great insight to the way we thought about things — and frustrations we faced — at the dawning of the personal computer age. I still have that “angry” fire you speak of burning inside me, although it doesn’t seem like something people like to talk about.
I often get the impression that many 20-something programmers today have in their heads a very different idea of what went on in the 70’s and 80’s. I sometimes feel like banging my head against my desktop when they sing the praises of that selfless philanthropist and inventor Bill Gates. It seems he has done an excellent job emulating Rockefeller.
I hope you find an exciting next chapter in your career with like-minded people. Selfishly, I hope you keep writing on this blog, because I enjoy it!
Posted by Mark Krueger on June 19th, 2011.
Someone linked your 4th post(The War) at http://www.reddit.com/r/geek/
I also say that you should continue your writing. It’s quite an amazing read.
Posted by John on June 19th, 2011.
Hello there, good sir! Happened to stumble upon your blog and I echo Emb3rSil’s sentiments, your posts are both deep and inspirational, and perhaps more importantly they have a personal element I never expected to encounter in a life so different from my own. You’ve reminded me of a feeling I’d long forgotten and one I hope to never forget again.
You should be getting a little more traffic right now considering how one of your posts just got dropped on reddit (I came through the /r/geek subsection but it’s probably been crossposted by now.)
Posted by Mars on June 19th, 2011.
Emb3rSil, yes it’s all true. At least to the best of my recollection. I may miss a date here and there, but I do my best to go back and double check those as well. Loyd was a very cool guy. What happened to him deeply effected my life. Now that you point it out, I should drop him a note and let him know I’m talking about him behind his back. He might want to call me a liar.
Mark, “angry” fire is the perfect term! I wish I’d thought of that. It seems a feeling most people are reticent to discuss. I feel like I need to type in hushed tones. It’s good to meet others like you who share the mindset. I hope to meet more! 🙂
John, thank you very much! I’ve got a few more stories in me. I find comments like yours reinvigorating when the words get frustrating.
Mars, I couldn’t believe the number of comments on Reddit! I need to go make an account and say thank you there. I try to make these stories personal rather than preachy. I’m never all together certain I’m on the “right side” of these issues. I can only explain what I was feeling and how those feeling drove me.
I’m curious though, what do you mean by “a life so different from [your] own?”
Posted by Bob Way on June 20th, 2011.