[themanmaran]

As someone who grew up in the 90's, I think seeing the live progression of tech was really helpful for my own understanding. For instance we saw:

- CDs moving to Mp3s moving to the ipod and finally streaming

- Games moving from 8bit to early 3d graphics to where they are today

- Family computer moving to laptops and eventually to ipads

- Landlines to early cell phones to the iphone today

All of these experiences helped ground the core principals behind this technology. And the pace of these transformations (while rapid) was still something you could keep up with. Everything was built on the same principals.

But today kids go from zero to iPad + AI generated tiktoks by time they turn 2. Sure parents can try to hide the tech, but it doesn't change the fact that it's out there and available as soon as they enter school.

Maybe I'm overindexing on my childhood, but I would love to recreate some abridged history of this for my kids. I think seeing the building blocks helps build a much more healthy relationship with technology.

[coffeefirst]

I've been thinking a lot about this.

The desktop that I grew up using was fundamentally a creative machine. It had games, but I mostly used it write fiction and make art-like stuff. When we got the internet it was AIM and movie trailers, so I could go to rent the movie in a store. Then someone introduced me to Webmonkey and the rest is, well, more making stuff.

It really ought to be possible to capture the creative aspects of technology without opening the door to endless toxic slime.

[smokel]

Most kids that grew up during the timeline you described had no interest in computer architecture. The small minority that did care is probably the same size now.

The other 99% who were into yoyo-ing back then are now into TikTok, that's all.

[Swizec]

> The other 99% who were into yoyo-ing back then are now into TikTok, that's all.

Hey dude, some of us were yo-yoing while waiting for Gentoo to build from stage 0. Compiling an OS on a single-core Athlon takes time.

For the 3 days it takes to build all the way up to KDE, you have no computer. Hope you didn’t forget something

[lucaspiller]

Don't forget the fan controllers to try to make it silent and the neon lights. I still have that machine at my parents house, used it a couple of years ago to rip all my teenage CDs to digital formats.

[picofarad]

distcc-pump And, I forget what the toolchain setup is called, but on gentoo its literally just `emerge -1av <toolchain-thing> distcc` on machine with beef and just `emerge -1 distcc` on athlon...

I found out how to do it consistently in 2010 and its like black magic knowing how to target a real OS at BS hardware.

[Swizec]

I was doing this in 2003 and my computer was also the internet/network router for our house. When that thing was down, you had no access to external information that you didn’t pre-save somewhere.

One time I forgot to install network drivers and had to download them through my flip phone via GPRS and then awkwardly load onto the computer via a clunky USB connection. Fun times.

Also my English wasn’t this good yet. I’m sure it would’ve been a lot easier had I actually understood all the tutorials and documentation fully.

[knotimpressed]

Some of my least favourite nights and most cherished childhood memories involve troubleshooting broken or missing network drivers the only functional Linux box I had working. Never had to use a flip phone, but sure came close a few times.

Nothing I’d ever willingly re-live if given the chance, but always fun to look back on and grin.

[themanmaran]

I'd wager that even if you didn't nerd out on computer architecture, just living through progression of CDs -> mp3s -> ipods -> streaming gives kids a better grounding than the iPad is where music comes from they have today

[trumpdong]

At school we have Disney Plus with a box with a thing with a hole in it! https://www.reddit.com/r/KidsAreFuckingStupid/comments/1tv4f...

[lukan]

I would argue yoyo is way more healthy than TikTok.

[petemill]

The difference is more of those people can use local file management than the new generation joining office environments.

[techblueberry]

I'm starting to lean into something similar - While I understand the danger of nostalgia, and I don't think you can go back. The great thing about living in the current time should be that like, eveything is available. There are people who still choose to be blacksmiths in 2026. My kids and I have been watching the 70s television series "Land of the Lost" and the 70s had some really bonkers childrens programming.

In a weird way, I think the thing the tech companies fear more than abstenance - which kids may ultimately rebel from - is kids who grow up to use these technologies in a healthy way. Kids who grow up without FOMO.

[ericd]

Yep, with video games, we started with SNES and have been slowly moving higher fidelity. We've got a VOIP landline for the kids, as well as a CD player. It's been working pretty well. For computing, they have a desktop Raspberry Pi 400 running Raspbian, terminal-centric setup.

[skydhash]

I wouldn’t trade the hours I spent with a group of friends in front of a n64, and a handful of multiplayer games (shooter, fighting, and racing). It was us 4 to 8 kids for 2 controllers. While I play a handful of PC games and have a console, there’s nothing better than a good living room session.

[ericd]

Yeah for sure, we've been mostly focused on couch co-op as we've started adding a few Steam games to the rotation - Brotato and Castle Crashers are big favorites, along with the more modern Minecraft Dungeons, a really simple couch co-op action RPG. It's been awesome, the neighbor kids drop by whenever, and it's been making some great memories as they pull through by the skin of their teeth.

Also got an Analogue 3D recently, it's been awesome digging out my old n64 collection and showing them the classics, while still having new controllers without stick slop, and HDMI so I don't have to fiddle with a bunch of converters.