My first encounter with a computer was the Pong game ('78). Second encounter was a time-shared Star Trek ('79) at our high school (and my first year in US). I distinctly remember not making/having any distinction between OS and the game application and that has always left me sympathetic to newb users - we take so much for granted and to be "obvious" when they really are not "obvious".
First computer and first programs followed shortly ('81): TI-99/4A and ("16 bits!") "Extended" Basic and mostly sprite based games. Sampled CS in EE school -- punch cards and assembly. Usual EE type Fortran programs, but nothing 'systemic'.
First paid work was working for a startup in my senior undergrad year building a jet engine turbine CAD system (I did the UI framework for picking, menues, etc. -- this is before Windows ;) The other project was a Fortan to C translator which provided the opporutnity to learn (fairly serious) C while contributing to that effort. ('86)
First computer and first programs followed shortly ('81): TI-99/4A and ("16 bits!") "Extended" Basic and mostly sprite based games. Sampled CS in EE school -- punch cards and assembly. Usual EE type Fortran programs, but nothing 'systemic'.
First paid work was working for a startup in my senior undergrad year building a jet engine turbine CAD system (I did the UI framework for picking, menues, etc. -- this is before Windows ;) The other project was a Fortan to C translator which provided the opporutnity to learn (fairly serious) C while contributing to that effort. ('86)
I code (compulsively at times) to this day.