MPJ

It was different when I was 5th grader in many ways. Learning how to code was not in the realm of elementary schools back then. Computers were simply too large and expensive for kids to play with and having a good teacher who knew programming languages was rarity. So I was in a bit of a blur when I pressed "P" key on, my first, just unboxed, brand new and state of the art, Sinclair ZX Spectrum  keyboard with amazing 16KB of RAM memory. It reacted immediately and at the bottom of the large home TV, it said "PRINT" followed with blinking black square cursor. "2+2" I added and hit "ENTER". It was like magic seeing "4" printed on the screen next instant. The magic of course was not in the correct number. It was rather in the unworldly feeling I got that exact moment of what would come next. What I could command it to do. It was like I found the door of the amazing new world and the door started to open wide! Soon later I learned more, esp...

Ah yes, the year of 1981. 30 years ago. It was a time when first commercial home computers arrived in stores worldwide. More or less. Importantly, that particular year I entered famous teenager years and I always wondered what would happen if home computers arrived couple of years later and avoided my teen days, allowed me to have different childhood with different options for life later? Would I be different person with different career today? Probably. I remember I was on the edge by choosing my professional career and was ready to go for science, most likely in physics or astronomy as those two fascinated me at the time the most. They still influence me a lot, probably because of the same reasons computers hooked me - they are so mysterious and provide endless pleasurable time of unlocking the nature. Sinclair ZX Spectrum But no, computers arrived just the same year when I turned 13 years old, when I was the most emotionally disturbed by various hormones and other chemicals ...