So it’s interesting reading all the folks talking about permacomputing and the like.

And I think there’s merit to keeping those architectures around.

But let’s turn this on its head, shall we? Where do we get the people who still have that hardware who are willing to actively take part in Linux kernel development?

Like, to become facile enough with the process, tools and codebase to be able to bear the load of writing new security patches as vulnerabilities are found?

It’s a hard problem. The number of people actively contributing to Linux is large in aggregate but VANISHINGLY small when it comes to any particular area of interest.

I don’t think Pascal is clunky! I think it represents a point on the evolution of programming languages and is still well loved by a LOT of people! Just google Free Pascal or Lazarus Pascal.

I love how much modern computing culture has its roots in the good old Amiga, and folks who didn’t own one are totally clueless about it.

One could, but I would argue that this idea pre-supposed a very ascetic class of programmer, and that depending on one’s goals in learning how to program, recursion can be a useful concept but saying it should be the one litmus test for any learning platforms seems highly questionable to me.

Are there any off the shelf available 68K based computers these days? I wasn’t aware of one but that would be cool :)

AMIGA 2023!!! :)

Or maybe there are people who find working in low powered environments that behave a certain way, more like computers did in the 80s enjoyable.

It’s not about boomers or what’s powerful and what’s not. Some things are just for fun and that’s all the justification they need IMO.

Also, how would that ‘weirdness’ impact using the device in a teaching context?

What would you like to see instead? Z80? Something else?

I don’t know if it has that feature yet. Maybe go to the bug tracker and see if someone’s already filed an issue you can +1?

Do you folks choose OpenBSD over FreeBSD because of its enhanced security or are there other reasons to recommend it for folks looking for an alternative to Linux?