User:Nikevich
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is quite preliminary; I must try to check it periodically.
Username: A mildly-corrupted Slavic form; my father was Nicholas Bessaraboff.
Concise bio: Retired electronic technician and electromechanical technician; occasional photographer, lapsed amateur musician. Internet author (at this writing, almost all is for the Howthingswork list at YahooGroups -- that could well change!).
Strong interests:
Mechanical analog computers
Mechanical calculators (I subscribe to CALCLIST-L, hosted at Technion)
Linguistics
Writing systems and i18n (subscriber to Qalam at YahooGroups) (Unicode hobbyist, so to speak, as well)
Typography
Literacy, and reasons for the epidemic of sub-literacy
Technology, both historic ("histech") and contemporary
Linux
Residence: Northeastern USA; quite-nice, motel-like rent-sub complex
Computer: Low spec -- Very reliable Compaq Deskpro ("Desqpro") 4000 -- P II, 233 MHz, 128 MB, Matrox Mystique 2+2 MB.
DvortyBoards keyboard (wearing out!), Logitech Trackman Marble (no scroll wheel; older); UC Logic Tech graphics tablet Monitor: Curb-find DEC VRC-21WA (Divine blessing? Thanks heaps to friends B and C!)
'Net connection: DSL, Speakeasy (Costly, but excellent); also dialup via TheWorld.com (world's first ISP, but slowly dying).
OS: The Delicate Flower, that sooner or later finds novel and amazing ways to crash -- 98 SE.
Hopes: Clear some space for a Wintergreen AMD Sempron machine from TigerDirect; multi-boot Linux (Primary), 98 SE for old hardware, 2000 Pro for Win apps.
No Web site, nor blog, yet.
Almost never watch TV other than the Boston Marathon; no cable, naturally (even though there's some worthy content; our society has no lack of such for those who seek it.)
Clutter addict, unfortunately. Could be worse, but not much. Must Freecycle...
Fan of Steve Colbert and Keith Olbermann, but don't see them often enough.
Politics: Current administration is Fascist Lite, and perhaps becoming heavier. Democracy is endangered in the USA. (To read: Chalmers Johnson) This country is a demonstration of the principle, used in WW II, that if you keep the population scared, you can do as you darned please, even setting up concentration camps. However, the USA is waking up.
Topic of the moment is six helos downed in past days.
Recluse; no known immediate family. Sister's status unknown. Two friends call periodically, bless them.
