I did my first contracting gig getting paid by the hour hacking DBase business programs. On the side I wrote a checkbook program, calendaring app, and RPG character generator.

I have fond memories of DBase, especially DBase III+. I remember when computers had "turbo" buttons and you could make a dog program run like lightning by simply hitting the button. I also remember compiling DBase programs in Clipper, and all sorts of other fun stuff. I worked for one guy that bought faster crystals to make his CPUs run better -- the very first PC overclocking that I ever saw.

Eventually, the home/small business database market went to Microsoft, who released MS Access. All of the "real" programmers said it was a toy and wouldn't deign to use it, but consumers bought it up and started creating their own apps. This was great news for me, because most of the time they created a mess and somebody had to come in and clean it all up. DBase was a big part of how I went from high school kid to independent programmer.

Good times.