I am just another Linux user

1987: I found myself interested in a strange stuff called computer. My friend introduced that stuff to me. I was very impressed to see how it worked eventhough it was not that sofisticated like today's. Trying to play a bit, learned how DOS worked to see directory, copy, rename, delete a file. I found that my floppy got boot sector virus, but I didn't know what to do. I also learned about word processing, WordStar.

1991: I had to learn more about computer. There was programming subject in the Civil Enggineering department. Fortran was the language I should learn. I also found myself in the middle of being impressed with basic programming but I didn't learn about it in deep.
During this year also, the first time in my life, I worked on a computer using harddisk. That was on PC AT 286.


1993: Having started using Civil Engineering Softwares, I knew how computer could be a good tool to finish engineering jobs. I learned how to work with AutoCAD.

1994: My sister's friend, a structural engineer, gave me a demo copy of Structural Analysis and Design System (SANS), an SAP like software written by Nathan Madutujuh. I didn't know what to do with that software until my lecturer taught me how to use Structural Analysis Program (SAP). That was under DOS. That stimulated me to learn about SANS myself.
I started to learn how to install Windows and Office on PC, too.

1995: Started to use Windows 95, the new way to operate computer. It was so nice and felt so easy to work. I used MS Word and Excell, too.
I started to work on programming project for my final project to get my engineering degree. Using Fortran, I made a simple structural analysis program, inspired by SAP and SANS.

1996: The first time I used internet. My friend introduced me how to find a midi file of the Beattles, my favorite group.

1997: I had my first own computer, Pentium I 120 MHz, 8 MB RAM, CDROM drive, and SoundBlaster sound card. It had Windows 95 installed.

1998: The first time I learned how to make a database using Access. I also started to learn visual basic programming.

1999: In the middle of working on construction project, I realized that I needed to make a database for my concrete production data recording. I built a database for that purpose using MS Access and found it very useful.
At almost the end of the year, I started using dial up connection to internet, started to make a simple web page, had email account, etc.

2002: I attended a Linux road show that introduced Linux and how to install Linux. I got a copy of Mandrake 8.2. At home, I spent all night trying to install Linux on my box. Finally, It was running but very heavy on my box. Bit by bit, I learned about Linux. It was (and still is) an interesting stuff to learn.

2003: I spent much time to learn about Linux, but still I am not an expert. I tried several things like LTSP and Knoppix remastering.

2004: Nothing much to learn, just working on mobile devices.

2005: Here I am, just another Linux user. Since 2002, I tried several distros like Mandrake (8.2, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 10.0, 10.1), Slackware (8 and 9), RedHat (8.0, and 9.0), Debian (Woody), Lycoris, and some of LiveCD like Knoppix (my favorite LiveCD), SuSE Live Eval, Freeduct and MandrakeMove.

I Hope that I can learn a lot about Linux and make a contribution to the community.