During a recent Aftermath Podcast episode, editor Chris Person warned that AI hype is turning the field into a snake‑oil market. In the middle of his rant he quoted a simple line that resonated with listeners: “I love the computer.” The statement framed a personal history that traces back to a childhood IBM 486 DX6 running Windows 3.0 and he warned investors to scrutinize hype before committing capital and demand real performance metrics today.

The author recalls the machine arriving in a modest flat in Dølihagen, Norway, after his father’s death. The gray tower, green LEDs and a turbo button sparked a fascination that survived moves to Malaysia, Colombia and back to Europe. Early exposure to print magazines like TEKNO and PC Gamer fed a hunger for hardware knowledge and gaming culture and community.

Internet access in his Malaysian school unlocked limitless tutorials, forums and early Java experiments, turning the computer from a hobby into a career path. After several failed DIY compilations, formal classes finally taught him programming fundamentals, leading to professional work in software development. The narrative underscores how a single 1990s PC can anchor a lifelong technical identity and shaping future open‑source contributions.