internet speeds aren't really a problem where i am but i can see if someone has a bad connection it can be a problem. i remember having a vt100 terminal hooked up to a modem to access the university mainframe back in the 80's, now that was slow. long before the www and anything gui based that i had access to.

You bring back memories Val.

I learned to program in 1975 using a teletype machine (not a video terminal !) time-shared with the Loma Linda University MUMPS system ("Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System") miles away.

We had to type in our programs while a line of guys stood behind you waiting their turn. And if your program crashed, then outcries would fill the room as you sank in your chair. And if you crashed the system, you had better run for the door.

Looking back, it was a great experience because it forced you to run & debug the code in your head before testing it in front of the world.

Ed Ferguson

Ha, My programming skills were limited to Q-basic. I was programming micro-controllers to drive servo motors and sensors (making robotic art at the time)

the vt100 stuff was to write papers for school. write the thing, set all your commands, send it off to print. Jump in the car drive to the school and stand in line to pick up your hot freshly plastic sealed paper. rip it open only to find you screwed up the font command where you then had to run to an open terminal and correct things and get back into line.

I do not whine about using a computer these days.

I agree - no complaints about my PC.

There was nothing like the joy of entering 50 lines of code, waiting for the modem connection, and then hearing the clacking of the mechanical teletype machine as it typed on a roll of yellow paper. It meant your program would run. As far as getting the correct answer - that's another topic :) Oh - and if someone programmed an infinite loop, the teacher had to call the university computer room for a reset.

Computer graphics? Forget it on that system unless you want ASCII characters.

Ed Ferguson

Hi Ed, woah MUMPS has become semi legendary now as one of the strangest programming languages to ever exist!

I got started with programming as a teenager on a Commodore 64 first with BASIC and then with 6502 assembly.

Something the other day was reminding me of how some C64 magazines used to transfer programs with just pages and pages of numbers that you manually typed in.

- Michael

Yep - The Commodore 64 launched a lot of careers for programmers.

After college, the first desktop machine I programmed was the Commodore PET. It looked like it would be right at home sitting on Darth Vader's desk. (Star Wars and the PET both came out in 1977)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_PET

It had integrated monitor and cassette storage :) My employer purchased it to control scientific instrumentation via the PET's IEEE-488 interface. It was very odd for Commodore to integrate that interface in a personal PC as it was only used to control industrial / scientific instrumentation, although IEEE-488 hard drives arrived in the late 70's.

Ed Ferguson

Those Commodore PETs were really cool! I remember them as something like the C64's older brother.

Being familiar with assembly language was a huge boost for me when I started learning C in college.

- Michael

Not really moi related but just fooling with smoke and particles for effect. a mini burnout.

Oh - so that was you up ahead of me on I-5 North !

Ed Ferguson

My version of a RatFink Van

Dragster winner! :)

Awesome! Big Daddy would approve :)

Ed Ferguson

Pilou, Ed,
thanks, fun to do a cartoon.
Val

final version, added a typical character and improved the smoke.

Hilarious! :)