Comment by schmookeeg | Hacker News Reader

Comment by schmookeeg | Hacker News Reader

Wow did this ever take me back. Arguably my first "public code release" was a plugin ("mod" back then I think) for the WWIV BBS system -- a screensaver called "Bubbles" that would draw random circles on the idle screen instead of the dead blinky cursor at top left. BBS owners would basically need to code it as a diff in their own system and recompile the thing.

I was maybe 9 or 10 years old. It was probably 50ish lines of C code, and I made some serious assumptions about what video card and modes were present.

I really really loved computers and coding back then.

Reading the comment below about being elderly and soulless also resonates for me at the moment.

I miss the romance of it all. :) I've been married to computers for nearly 40 years now, and all of the spice is gone. It's just comfortable and regular and routine.

Oh well, on to another 2-hour interminable sprint planning sesh (sigh) -- "yes dear, I'll be right there"

I am interested on how did you learn programming and even create a functional program when you were that young. I was 14 years old when I write my first "hello world" program, and after that, for the next 5 years I basically just fiddling with Visual Basic 6 UI builder and programming. Most of my script come from books or the internet, and I don't understand the complicated stuff at that time, especially where the program interacted with Windows API. Maybe the lack of teacher and access to materials also has a role for my lack of understanding back then. So, I am interested on how did you learn programming on such a young age?

My dad was a DBA and did a lot of C code for his work. He got me a PC clone for my 7th birthday and a copy of Borland Turbo C. I made all sorts of strange code widgets and ascii animations, and also ran a BBS which put me in a lot of nerdy circles. Learning coding by osmosis I suppose.

I did dad's homework up into my mid teens, so it was a good payoff for him! :)

I never asked him if he liked the book Tom Sawyer. I bet he did.

I wonder if a PC clone and a copy of Borland Turbo C is a good present for a 7 year old kid (:D), just kidding. Nevertheless, you have good support from your dad there.

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