My name is Pierre Burri-Wittke. I grew up in French-speaking Switzerland, where I studied computer science. The only programming equipment available was a VAX 11/750 mainframe from Digital (DEC). Back then, graphical user interfaces and mice were unheard of. Data was entered using several small black terminals with a keyboard and a command line.
Almost from the very beginning, I have been an enthusiastic Linux administrator and user. My first Linux was SuSE 5.1 in 1997. You could still buy it as a box with several CDs in a bookshop.
Linux offered me something similar to the mainframe, but for home use!
From 2000 to 2004, I taught the GNU/Linux operating system at various educational institutions in Berlin.
After that, I worked – and still do – as a web designer and web programmer with the open source CMS Joomla! For web design, I mainly work with macOS, but under the macOS hood is originally BSD, an operating system similar to Linux. And in the terminal under macOS, the same commands are valid as under Linux.
For my web customers, I have been operating a Linux-dedicated server with Debian and Xen virtualisation under the name linux-age.com since 2002.
Today, I am more interested in Linux than ever, especially for privacy reasons.
GNU/Linux has become very user-friendly and is a real alternative to the popular commercial operating systems.
What is also important to me besides Linux:
Repair & refurbished devices
I am also a fan of repair (e.g. ifixit.com) and second-hand or refurbished devices (e.g. refurbed.ie). Why keep buying new devices when you can repair them or buy refurbished ones? And you can still install Linux on older computers, even older Apple computers.
Replace the battery
It should go without saying that a battery should be easy to replace! Unfortunately, this is no longer often the case. But if you search online, you will find more and more smartphones and a few notebooks (such as Tuxedo Computers and Framework) where the battery is easy to replace.
And last but not least:
What I also really enjoy is roasting my own coffee and enjoying it fresh and incomparably aromatic the next day! The aroma fills the whole house, even reaching my office, the following day... So it's no coincidence that my Tux is holding an espresso cup in his flipper 😉
