Back in those days (20 years ago) we didn't have the rich package managing ecosystems of today or fast internet access. I bought a Linux CD from a local computer store (though I called it Unix, magically the guy who sold it to me knew what I meant).
I remember trying to learn how to install things like the packages or software I wanted and being told if there isn't an .rpm then you have to try "compiling" it.
Naively, my world view was that there was a structured process for everything - the steps for compiling something would be the same for everything, one could simply learn those steps.
In my mind I imagined it was as simple as typing "make" and an install wizard would appear in a terminal.
When it wasn't that, I would go onto IRC channels and naively ask "how do I compile things". People tried to help and I guess they thought I was an adult with the comprehension of a child so people got pretty frustrated.
Makes me laugh to think of how structured I thought the world was; thinking there was a uniform and consistent way to compile software.
Even as I sit here with experience as a software engineer, compiling someone's random github project can be mind bending - especially with some of the objectively simpler yet also more complicated methods of producing binaries from within docker containers tailored to compilation.