This is so nice and resonates with me deeply. For quite a while I have been stuggeling to love modern computer. When I was reading this, I saw myself - this is more or less me. We got a 386 when I was 4, and as much as I can remember I was playing DOS games and later on Windows I have been exploring this whole concept of computers and dreaming about writing a game or learn how to program. This was so transformative. I remember the whole hacker like community - tweaking registries, shareware on floppy drives, demo scene, the dawn of the internet, Altavista - yes no Google, every generation was a leap forward. Golden time? Maybe I romantize it too much? I don't know, but I remember I was technology positivist and loved computers. How am I suppose to love the machine that is snooping on me and selling my behavioral data to 3rd party and making people selling me ads based on this rich. Every app needs an account, now also age verification - what the ***. I want my computer to be mine. I want my data to be mine - how did we let happen all of that...Apologies for the rant :-) today's technology is equally exciting and cool, but one have to be careful about it much more. After reading this, I am certain I do love computers...but for few years now, I was a bit in lethargic mode thinking I once loved the computers.
I was at CUNY/Baruch in '91, discovering Usenet, Gopher etc at the campus' VMS, getting the thrill of using GameDoctor on my SNES. Then the civilians came onboard and all stopped feeling ... exclusive? How dare they voice their thoughts on comp.*, I am out...
It's all pure nostalgia for the times long gone. I get an urge once a year to get a thing from that era, and I do but I don't use it. That 90's Zelda does nothing for me anymore, but TOTK does.