Comment by rented_mule
14 hours ago
As a kid, I had the hardest time understanding what a computer was. At 9 years old in 1977, I had a friend whose dad was a computer programmer. The friend tried to explain to me what a computer was, but I just couldn't understand it. We even took a field trip to a National Weather Service office where they talked a lot about their computers and showed us one that filled a room, but I still didn't understand. None of the explanations made it sound like anything other than magic happening in a big set of boxes.
At 12 years old in 1980, I bought Atari BASIC Programming (it wasn't yet called the 2600). Minutes after plugging it in, the idea of a computer clicked for me. That quickly led to getting bored with that game system and convincing my parents to buy me a "real" computer. Eventually that led to a long career as a software developer. Thanks for opening that door for me Atari BASIC Programming!
Wow! I'm so glad this actually did open the door from someone. I remember nerding out over how lame it was, but I was fortunate enough to have a TRS-80 Model III in my household. And I didn't fully grasp the hardware limitations then.
Someone really should DIY a real Atari "VCS," as in adequate bank switched RAM and something not unlike TRS-80 BASIC achieved without outlandish hardware for the time...
OMG! Someone pulled it off back in the day! I had no idea. So much for my retirement project idea:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CompuMate
That's ok, I have a lot of years to go before I need one LOL
My story is similar. I loved playing video games and all, but after I wrote my first program, I became obsessed with computers. The infinite canvas for interactive human experience and problem solving felt out of this world.