The jump from QBasic to Quick Basic and understanding .EXEs, compilation etc was the turning point for me in understanding programming, debugging and operating systems.
Your note on the shady stores reminds me of doing the same - in the pre-internet/warez era, the only place to get software in the Gulf was in shady malls selling floppies (and later CDs) chock full with pirated software for 10 riyals/dirhams
That's hilarious. I remember I was pissed off: why certain files do stuff and are games and all. How do they do that!
So I created a new .TXT file and changed its extension to .COM and tried to execute it. Then to .EXE.
It didn't work. I don't know what I expected back then, for it to magically do something cool I suppose.
The executables came when I got Visual BASIC for DOS. Wow! You could also make forms with buttons!
It was in on a CD that had a bunch of software on it that came with .NFO files I'd read and wonder "what was that BBS stuff they were talking about. They seem to get together and have fun with computers". They were crews who crack stuff.
> This hits close to home.