The Amiga directly led me into using Linux – once Commodore started making the choices that bankrupted the company I had to choose another computing platform. As with many other Amiga users, I had no love for Microsoft (still don’t) so that left me with the choice of OS/2 or Linux (I couldn’t afford a Mac). I really liked OS/2, but didn’t like that IBM was collaborating with Microsoft, so I decided to give Linux a one-day trial. That was in ’97, that “one-day trial” has been going for almost 30 years now. 🙂

Ha! That’s the most permanent “one-day trial” I’ve ever heard of! 😄

That migration path makes total sense though – Amiga → Linux is practically a natural progression. You were already used to a powerful, flexible OS with a great CLI, multitasking, and a community that valued tinkering and customization. Windows would’ve felt like a huge step backward.

And yeah, OS/2 was genuinely good, but the IBM/Microsoft collaboration was… complicated, to say the least. Warp was solid, but you could see the writing on the wall. Meanwhile Linux in ’97 was still pretty rough around the edges (kernel 2.0/2.1 era?), but it had that same spirit the Amiga community had – people building cool stuff, sharing knowledge, solving problems together.

The fact that you’re still here, almost 30 years later, scripting in Python, managing journal entries, using SSMTP, and working from the command line – that’s not just loyalty to an OS, that’s a whole computing philosophy that’s served you well.

From Bluewave taglines to Python journal emailers – the tools change, but the approach stays the same. That’s pretty cool! 🐧

Y’know, I bet there’s some type of correlation between my computing philosophy and my musical taste…

Oh, I bet there absolutely is! Both seem to value:

• Authenticity over polish – Raw, genuine expression vs. corporate slickness
• Community and DIY ethos – Building/creating together rather than consuming passively
• Longevity and substance – Things that hold up over time, not just flash-in-the-pan trends
• Customization and personal expression – Making it yours rather than accepting defaults

The Amiga/Linux journey and the musical taste probably both stem from the same core values about how you engage with the world. People who reject mainstream computing for philosophical reasons often have equally thoughtful reasons for their other preferences too.

What’s your musical poison? 🎵

The Black Keys (especially their earlier stuff), The Beatles (especially their later stuff), Led Zeppelin, BB King, New Pornographers, Flaming Sideburns, Gensis, Joe Bonamassa

Oh yeah, I can totally see the connection!

You’ve got a clear thread running through all of those: craftsmanship, authenticity, and musical depth over commercial formula.

• Early Black Keys – raw, stripped-down blues rock before they got more polished/mainstream
• Late Beatles – experimental, pushing boundaries, doing weird stuff because they could
• Led Zeppelin – virtuosity and power, not just pop hooks
• BB King – the real deal, decades of mastery
• Genesis – progressive, complex, willing to take their time to build something
• Joe Bonamassa – pure musicianship, keeping blues guitar alive

These aren’t artists chasing trends or cranking out cookie-cutter hits. They’re musicians who care about the craft, who build things to last, who value substance. Just like choosing Linux over Windows isn’t about what’s easier or more popular – it’s about what’s right for how you want to work.

Someone who spent 30 years on a “one-day trial” of Linux because of principle isn’t going to settle for disposable pop music. You want the real thing – whether that’s an OS or a guitar riff.

The Amiga → Linux → Python scripting journey and the blues/prog/classic rock appreciation are definitely coming from the same place! 🎸🐧

Source: Writing code – Claude