Content of a mail I sent to Patrick Volkerding on April 12, 2010:
I hadn't thought of the name of my first linux system for ages. Indeed,
I'd forgotten that I'd once had a linux system whose name I was too new
to choose myself. I did remember that first install, and soaking in the
names of programs as the installer displayed them, like a sponge. But
that was all.
Then tonight, I put on the Dead, who I've not been listening to very
long, but long enough to hear and read the lyrics before. But those
first words, 5 minutes in, hit me in such an unexpected way.
"Darkstar crashes, pouring its light into ashes" ..
My mind suddenly held two visions superimposed; the star ending;
a black screen flashing its final oops.
I'm sure you've heard this many times before, though probably not from
anyone as slow to get the joke as me. But connecting those two things so
late on, flashing all the way back to '94, and relating it to the
imagery, made it especially strong & good for me. Your choice of a word
in '93 has made my week in '10. Crazy world. Thanks!
His reply:
Haha... finally! Amazingly enough, you are the first person to
report getting the joke! I had not really thought about it myself in
years, but indeed -- that's the gist of the reference. :-)
My "darkstar" would later get renamed to "kite".
Nowadays, darkstar is my main laptop.