Nostalgic Reflection on 1990s Personal Computing Era and Community Sharing

Summary

The article reflects nostalgically on the personal computing era of the 1990s, when computers were widely accessible in homes and fostered community sharing of software and games. The author shares personal memories of biking to friends' houses with floppy disks, exchanging games like Kings Quest and Prince of Persia, and the communal nature of computer use where fathers helped each other install Windows 3.1. The piece contrasts this era of personal ownership with current trends where private equity and wealth concentration are making technology less accessible, suggesting that rising hardware prices are driven by wealthy investors rather than AI demand.