Right - if MKLinux hadn't of run, I might have discarded any interest in Linux for a few years, not learnt how to build my own PC boxes and stuck with Redhat (I

Right - if MKLinux hadn't of run, I might have discarded any interest in Linux for a few years, not learnt how to build my own PC boxes and stuck with Redhat (I think back then). After a successful initial experience I was ok dealing with bad display drivers et al. That's kind of my point, why I'm really glad I started with Mac: I had no-one around to guide me and powered with Mosaic (soon Netscape) and the growing access to mailing lists, I was on my way. I got more than a few non-techy friends running Linux shortly thereafter, given I could build them a machine cheaper than at the store and most of us went on to have successful technical careers in some form or another (whether in the Arts or architecture or whatever). That period of 96-2000 was, for me, made possible by the convergence of a few wonderful things that for the first time in history made it possible for an otherwise non-educated person in technology to access, and help make, the world. I had looked at taking a few CS classes at university but the overwhelming perceived hostility towards women, or anyone not clearly 'belonging' at my science department at the time kept me away. So you can imagine just how much I love the Internet, and the Mac, and Linux. Times have changed and that's cool - I've run some coding classes since then primarily for women and everything they need is at their fingertips and my university's CS and Science department is far modernized and getting a healthy balance of women and minorities. I'm very aware that my jump into CS was made possible by a very special convergence, freedom, and surge of information.