How much of a computer person are you?
Just call me Hacker Man - 43.5% - 10 votes
Pretty good, as long as the app is simple enough - 39.1% - 9 votes
So-so - 8.7% - 2 votes
I struggle, but I get the job done - 4.3% - 1 votes
What's a computer? - 4.3% - 1 votes
patrickm
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2021
Posts : 135
Posted 3/16/2022 3:45 AM (GMT 0)
I graduated from college in 1983, just before personal computers became a thing. We had to program with punch cards in college. The Cal State University system had a statewide network. I was away at college in San Luis Obispo and had a brother at Long Beach State. We’d write letters back and forth as comment lines within our programs that we each had access to on that statewide network, as a prehistoric version of email. I remember the Mac Super Bowl ad in 1984, and worked for a company that became Mac oriented. I’ve used Macs ever since, occasionally using BootCamp to run some Windows-based structural engineering software when I have to. I hope to retire this summer, and one thing (not quite computer related) amazes me: as a combination graduation/Christmas gift, I was given an HP 41CV calculator in December 1983. I’ve used it every day of my career since, for over 38 years. I’ve probably only had to replace the batteries five times over those 38 years. Truly amazing.
alephnull
Veteran Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 2548
Posted 3/16/2022 1:25 PM (GMT 0)
I'm impressed by all my brothers and their collective experience. I am just short of 63 and computers didn't come to high schools here in Topuka until after I left.
My first experience was when I took an Electronics course. We wrote a BASIC program on a Commodore 64 to control a robot.
Then I started college and took Apple BASIC where I missed the lectures(no book for the class) on how to perform a binary search, so I wrote my own search algorithm.
When I got into I/T I was an Operator on System38, then on an AS400.
Turned programmer, I have written in RPG2 & 3, IBMs Control Language,Genexus , Pascal, C, C++, JAVA, VB4, Python, PERL, FTP scripts,Linux Command line scripts, currently I write SQL that I insert into ARGOS(4th gen program builder).
Also spent 12 years as an Oracle DBA (also Informix, SQLServer).
Also spent a number of years as a Systems Admin and 4 years of front line Support Desk.
IsItSerious
Regular Member
Joined : Oct 2015
Posts : 145
Posted 3/16/2022 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
First computer was a "trash" - Tandy Radio Shack
Amazing what was done with simple Basic
Then a 286 (you'll never need more than this or fill up that 40meg hard drive)
Now we have 3 desktops at home and 3 laptops, plus ipads and iphones.
If you don't think this technology has overtaken us, the average person looks at their phone every 11 minutes.
logoslidat
Veteran Member
Joined : Sep 2009
Posts : 7585
Posted 3/16/2022 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
RobLee talked about nanny state...That is exactly what computers are...the Nanny of all nannies and for the same reasons...power and control,,