Browsing through old diskmags always makes me notice how much Amiga-related writing I did in the 1990s. But of course: the Amiga was my computer of choice back then, I used it throughout the decade as my main productivity tool. I used the Digita Wordworth for all my written coursework, including the master’s thesis; I composed several dozen tunes for demoscene productions in Protracker; I took my first programming steps in GFA Basic and, later, Storm C… So there was a lot to write about, and writing about it was great fun.

I haven’t written anything since I rekindled my interest in Amigas around the year 2009. The usual pressures of life are largely at fault of course, but now I realize I’ve been using “next-generation” Amigas for longer than I actually used the classic ones – so I find it quite absurd that I’ve never tried to share my experience. In a fit of self-honesty I also admit to myself that I’ve secretly missed my writing all the time, hence this little blog.

The name

There are three reasons why I decided to call my blog Rear Window. First of all, I’m a big fan of Alfred Hitchcock’s film of the same name – it’s just pure cinematic class! Second, my Amigas and I spent many years in small rented rooms with a single window looking out on the backyard. Over time, this had become such a predictable coincidence that, at some point, I started calling every man-cave I moved into after the rear window it had. And third: a backyard full of old junk and memories is an arcane place, neglected and out of sight but calling for adventure and inviting explorers; a perfect metaphor for the Amiga world today!

I am, therefore, opening my Rear Window on the backyard. Let’s see what we can see there.