It's interesting how Linux is mostly appealing to the older generations. I say that because when I first started getting into Linux myself (around 2003, I was 11), it mostly wasn't older generations but rather teenagers and young adults.

For me, back in the day when I was just a young one, I wanted to learn Linux because it was interesting and I liked tinkering with computers and code, mostly back then it was about building websites and running my own servers, which if you wanted to do that, there was no easy "click a button and let it do it for you" method, you had to actually sit down and learn it first, which in my opinion is what made it interesting and fun.

Anyone remember geocities? Good times, good times.

I still spend way too many hours sat in front of a desktop computer though, that hasn't changed much

However, it would appear now that the median age of a Linux user is 45 What happened?

Quoting: BlackBloodRumHowever, it would appear now that the median age of a Linux user is 45 What happened?

Kinda wonder if it's less Linux and more this website attracts a slightly older audience (like the ones that use websites and forums, lol).

I will say I'm glad to see other people of similar maturity (if not age)!!

Maturity? Older, sure. Sure I'm 31, but not necessarily mature. I'm still the same old pirate drinking rum that I was in my teens

I wouldn't call myself mature. Old? Yup. Mature? Nope.

Although, in principle I agree that many younger generations are using Facebook, Tiktok etc all from their smartphones.

Meanwhile I'm not using those platforms and only pick up my smartphone when I get a phone call or text (Sometimes, I don't even pick it up for a text if it's via signal, I just launch signal on my desktop instead to read and reply to messages ). My GrapheneOS phone can last 2-3 days without a charge since the screen is so rarely turned on

But I can't help but wonder if sometimes smartphones and easy "do it for you" tech is doing more harm than good. I learned so much having to do things the hard way that so many new generations simply don't have to learn since they can just tap a button and it's done for them automatically.

What happens when all us old folk are gone? Who will retain that knowledge?

Quoting: denyasisKinda wonder if it's less Linux and more this website attracts a slightly older audience (like the ones that use websites and forums, lol).

I'm sure that that contributes. I'm going to hazard a guess that a lot of folks here have seen the rise and (figurative) fall of those formats, and there are surely plenty who lived through the attacks against open-source software in the late 1990s and early 2000s too, who may very well have had this stuff highlighted to them through that. Stuff like that dates the lot of us!

Quoting: denyasisI will say I'm glad to see other people of similar maturity (if not age)!!

I've been pleasantly surprised by this. I'm used to being the oldest in my gaming circles by about a decade or so.

The younger crowd don't even believe you if you tell them that games used to come on cassette-tapes and you had to wait multiple minutes just to load the title-screen - that is, if they know what a cassette-tape is at all!

Quoting: BlackBloodRumMy GrapheneOS phone can last 2-3 days without a charge since the screen is so rarely turned on

Mine's an Android phone, but it does photography more often than phone-calls, and it goes for about nine or ten days on a charge!

Quoting: BlackBloodRumBut I can't help but wonder if sometimes smartphones and easy "do it for you" tech is doing more harm than good. I learned so much having to do things the hard way that so many new generations simply don't have to learn since they can just tap a button and it's done for them automatically.

I was shown an article about that recently - you might find it interesting, too: FILE NOT FOUND - A generation that grew up with Google is forcing professors to rethink their lesson plans

Quoting: BlackBloodRumWhat happens when all us old folk are gone? Who will retain that knowledge?

At that point it comes down to what we leave behind, I guess.

Last edited by Pengling on 8 August 2022 at 11:20 pm UTC

Word of warning: Alcohol consumed tonight.

Quoting: PenglingI've been pleasantly surprised by this. I'm used to being the oldest in my gaming circles by about a decade or so.

The younger crowd don't even believe you if you tell them that games used to come on cassette-tapes and you had to wait multiple minutes just to load the title-screen - that is, if they know what a cassette-tape is at all!

I quite vividly remember VCR, Cassette Tapes and CRT. I guess that makes me old.

I still own a large number of cassettes and VCR's from when I was younger.

I also remember you used to bit able to visit camden market and meet that little asian guy and get any film you wanted, or get your PS1 chipped etc.

The first computer I built was entirely from parts purchased from londons camden market with my great uncle who sadly passed away since at the young age of 87, he was a lot like me, and taught me a lot about computers - I swear he was a genius, ex royal navy, he played instruments, did computers, even taught me how to make home-made batteries at the age of 8 and various things with electronics. Even if he was giving me rum by the age of 13 telling me it would make me a man and put hair on my chest haha It was more than my real father ever did who barely managed to bother to see me once a month, in some cases even less so.

Sadly such places don't exist any more

Recently, I acquired a classic VGA CRT monitor. Just for kicks. No word of a lie I had some kid ask me while I was carrying it across the road "Why does this monitor have a big box on the back?"

Quoting: PenglingMine's an Android phone, but it does photography more often than phone-calls, and it goes for about nine or ten days on a charge!

Haha, yeah. People seem to misunderstand that the more you use a phone, the quicker that battery will drain.

As for photography, I recently debated buying a proper "photography" camera - for my world travels. It's funny I balked at the price (£600) - yet I'll happily dump £400 into a set of sennheiser wireless headphones.

Camera, technically has more tech. But some reason I won't spend that money on it. Strange how that works.

Quoting: PenglingI was shown an article about that recently - you might find it interesting, too: FILE NOT FOUND - A generation that grew up with Google is forcing professors to rethink their lesson plans

I'll read it tomorrow

Quoting: PenglingAt that point it comes down to what we leave behind, I guess.

No children, so I have no one to pass my knowledge to.

Although, it's also a good thing that I don't teach them to commit digital piracy or drink

But generally, if someone asks me a tech question I do my best to answer to my knowledge with full details.

Last edited by BlackBloodRum on 9 August 2022 at 9:14 am UTC

Quoting: PenglingI was shown an article about that recently - you might find it interesting, too: FILE NOT FOUND - A generation that grew up with Google is forcing professors to rethink their lesson plans

Whaaaat?! I know many computer illiterate people but I wouldn't even think that someone would be unable to understand directory structure.

Quoting: mr-victory

Quoting: PenglingI was shown an article about that recently - you might find it interesting, too: FILE NOT FOUND - A generation that grew up with Google is forcing professors to rethink their lesson plans

Whaaaat?! I know many computer illiterate people but I wouldn't even think that someone would be unable to understand directory structure.

Yes. I was amazed too. I don't think I agree with the conclusions though. Accept that these things change? So no one of the new generation will know how computers work on the inside?

Since I was always a gamer, the question for me would be When rather than How.

I've known about Linux a bit before Ubuntu came out, tried installing Slackware and failed, had no idea how to install it at that time. When Ubuntu came out I've installed it a few times, I remember the first game I managed to play on it was Doom 3.

Eventually I went back to Windows and then making the complete switch to Linux in 2014 which was during the Humble Bundle hey days and native games.

Hard to believe 8 years have passed already since then.

I first tried Linux in 2001, on an old Pentium-120 I'd bought on eBay. I was immediately fascinated and wished I could use it as a daily driver. Over the years I regularly had Linux on a secondary PC/notebook and once I found out about Proton I soon decided to ditch Windows. First, because I really like the idea of free software and second because I far prefer the customizabilty of Linux desktops.

Quoting: BlackBloodRumI also remember you used to bit able to visit camden market and meet that little asian guy and get any film you wanted, or get your PS1 chipped etc.

This reminds me of the guy at the A3 car boot sale on Sundays who always had copies (ahem) of the latest games. This is what got me into the original Doom from iD Software!