Hi all! I came into computers in the mid-80s as a child, and my family’s first home computer was an Apple //c. It’s still around someplace, although I do not currently have it; sadly, I think all of the software for it is long gone.
After that I had no immediate and personal access to computers until a family 486 in the early 90s, on which I discovered Linux (having been a fan of Unix via books for some time, but without access to a real machine other than a dialup to a rather constrained University account), and I’ve run Linux as my primary system since '94. In those heady early Linux days I discovered multi-user systems, and used the //c and later a TeleVideo 910 serial terminal to provide a second head for my brother and I’s primary Linux machine, so we could compute side-by-side.
As an adult I’ve spent more time retrocomputing and learning more diverse architectures. I picked up a bunch of surplus SPARC equipment in the late 90s and early 2000s (and used them for practical purposes for many years), and I have a TI 99/44A just for playing. I also dabble in other retro-technologies such as vintage radios (I have a complete 1960-1962 vintage station; see it at kb8ojh.net - Station Information) and Teletype machines (see the teletype link from the above URL, or my YouTube channel).
I have a fascination with minicomputers and mainframes, and built a PiDP-11 last year. I have also recently purchased a large lot of real, vintage PDP-11 equipment that I hope to toy with over the next few months/years. (forum post)
I teach at a University, and I have the TV910 (hooked to a Linux box) and TI 99/4A in my office for students to play with, alongside some vintage calculators (including two mechanical adding machines).
Ethan