tl;dr: A developer reflects on a lifelong love affair with computers, tracing his journey from a childhood IBM 486 in 1990s Norway through print magazines, early Internet exploration, and a career in programming. Inspired by a podcast quote from Chris Person, he laments how AI hype, dark patterns, and "brogrammer" culture have corrupted the once-idealistic tech space, but remains hopeful about decentralized alternatives and is content to retreat back into being a niche enthusiast.