In 1986, as I transitioned from my freshman to sophomore year of high school, my life was undergoing major changes—both in location and in technology. My family moved from Springfield, Virginia, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where I would eventually graduate from high school. At the same time, my computing world was evolving from borrowed time on Tandy 1000s and Apple IIc and IIe machines to something more personal and foundational: the Commodore 64.
The Gift That Sparked a Passion
That year, my grandpa Jack made a purchase that would change everything: two Commodore 64s—one for himself and one for us. At first, we ran the system with an expanded memory cartridge, which I believe was either 32K or 64K. The moment we realized we needed more memory was unforgettable—my dad was attempting to draw a map of the United States, and he ran out of memory before completing all 50 states! That led us to an upgrade, using a cassette tape drive to save our programs.
During one visit to Sumner, Illinois, I spent the week at my grandparents’ home, programming the Commodore 64 to play “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” Since they were both from Texas, I thought it would be a fitting tribute—a thank-you for the computers that had unlocked a world of creativity for me.
Floppy Disks, Modems, and the Road to BBS
Eventually, we moved on to 5 ¼-inch floppy disks, giving us more storage and reliability. But my most pivotal tech moment came when I wanted a modem. My dad laid out a challenge: “If you want a modem, then go learn to type properly.” So, I enrolled in a typing class in high school, and sure enough, once I became proficient, I earned my modem—opening the door to bulletin board systems (BBS).
For those unfamiliar with BBS culture, imagine a pre-internet world where local servers hosted message boards, file-sharing communities, and gaming forums. Connecting to these systems was like unlocking a secret world of knowledge, software, and conversations. If you’ve never experienced a BBS, go watch WarGames—it captures the thrill of dialing into an unknown digital frontier.
The Foundation of a Lifelong Love for Technology
The Commodore 64 was more than just a computer—it was my gateway to programming, networking, and understanding how technology could connect and empower people. Those early days shaped my appreciation for technology’s evolution—from cassette tapes to floppy disks, from BBS to modern cloud computing and AI.
Looking back, I realize that 1986 was more than just a time of change in my personal life—it was a turning point in my technological journey, leading me down a path I still follow today.
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