shitcomputing manifesto

My computer broke. The speakers crapped out, the shell bulges a bit and makes snapping noises when you open and shut the lid because there's something broken in the frame behind the screen or something, i spilled coffee on the keyboard and half the keys don't work. Then I tried to fix it and just ended up deciding on a whim to proper-break it instead. Scorch the earth.

I can't justify the money to spend on getting a new one, because between having a dayjob and a family i love, the time I'd have to use it is negligible. Thus, shitcomputing: I do what i can, when I can, on whatever is around that works. My natural habit is to nest, to tinker, to make sure 'everything is right' before i actually start doing anything creative (assumedly to avoid actually doing anything creative due to some subconscious fear that it won't be very good or successful, even though I work very hard at ensuring i'm creating for me, and my own enjoyment, above all else). But I can't afford to do that, in the literal and figurative senses, anymore. DIY has always suited me better anyway.

So, i've got a collection of cobbled-together gear and workarounds, i'm embracing novelty and obsolete hardware, software and workflows, but not in a cool (expensive) vintage-pc-and-modular-synth-gear-collection kind of way because no money, no room, no time. More like, mid-range mobile phone apps, MS-DOS trackers that run ok in jdosbox, niche music software that doesn't require a lot of processing power and anything that can be run out of a .jar so that in rare moments of down-time i can use my work computer to do fun stuff despite its strict enterprise security environment.

I'm learning all kinds of fun skills, some of which are *actually useful*, and it's as much about the journey as it is about making stuff, so i guess i'm still procrastinating, but I think I can accept that.