[Podboy]

...if someone wants to get into these old computers then surely it's logical to delve into the mindset that surrounded them at the time in an authentic manner...

I definitely support weblacky's comments here, as I enjoy watching folks (most certainly more and more younger generations) explore SGI/IRIX stuff on the social-medias. And there are a lot of benefits to encouraging and supporting new enthusiasts!

Ian's view resonates with me more deeply, however. Maybe people would say I'm romanticizing the 'uphill both ways' in a 'get off my lawn' sort of way, but even something as simple as having a typo at the beginning of a PROM command, where the only way to correct it is backspacing a dozen times and typing it again, really takes me back to a familiar place. Or where tab completion doesn't work in the default bourne shell. It's an immediate reminder of where we/I came from and how we've progressed. An instant immersion in the times. Being so familiar with the conveniences of linux and other modern UNIX-like operating systems it can feel like a cold plunge, but once the shock wears off, it's a recognisably healthy mental reset. 

FWIW, this is coming from someone who went from a MacOS 9 desktop to IM and CDE, and never used Alt-Tab until maybe MacOS10, and even then muttered 'bah' everytime. Now I'm Alt-tab all day, and tab completion all day, too. Hard to live without it, but adding Alt-tab or Ctrl-Alt-Left or Right to my .4Dwmrc? Naaahhh.

Also, thanks to Ian for his UNIX Admin Course. It was a lot of fun to read through and really took me back to some fun times! Pure nostalgia!

I fully acknowledge that the younger generations' glasses might not have the same level of rose-tint towards this stuff. I agree that should not stop them from trying to experience it (at least initially) as it was, though. All the things we had then, and all the things that hadn't come about yet.