Since I.Q. is mental age divided by chronological age, that means that the older I get, the dumber I get. And I think I'm living proof of that.

I received my first computer in March 2009 -- it was a gift provided to me via the now-defunct Freegeek Columbus. By organizational policy, Freegeek Columbus preinstalled it's recycled computers with the then-current Ubuntu LTS OS. In March 2009, that was Hardy Heron. Up to about that time, I'd only been exposed to Windows XP (although I had taken a course in Apple's Basic Language in college 30 years previously).

I'd decided to go back to school online. The online program I was enrolled in only supported Windows and Mac. Me being computer illiterate, I didn't know that the recycled computer that I'd been gifted with was a beat-up piece of crap that (without a Windows install) couldn't be used as my daily driver.

Using Hardy Heron to turn in assignments on a Windows/Mac platform was a sometimey, hit-or-miss exercise. Some well-intentioned (and perhaps idealistic) person on Ubuntu Forums suggested that I use W.I.N.E. for my college work. It was something about W.I.N.E. that made me upgrade to Jaunty Jackalope. I searched and perused the forums; tried my best to understand how to get Ubuntu to work for me; but it just didn't happen. It's just as well that I didn't know about Virtualbox or VMWare because my Freegeek computer couldn't have run them anyway.

But to my credit (and if I do say so myself), I didn't resort to Windows. I didn't use Windows on a computer that I owned until I stumbled upon Windows Pirated Edition and then I ran it in VMWare Player.

I much admire folks who peruse the forums and help others by answering questions and telling/showing them how to fix problems, caf4926 an SUSE Global Moderator, , Ubuntu Forums Admin, howefield and PCLinuxOS-Forums Administrator, .Old-Polack are come folks who come to my mind.