c. 1989-1992: Computer Time In The Library
Posting Location: University Village.
Note: This post is my contribution to the Earliest Memories of Computing blog project. I would've just submitted the full thing to that blog, but I kind of rant off-topic a bit here. As usual.
My earliest memory of computer use is sometime in --- first grade? Second? I can't even remember how old I was at the time. Shoot, might even be kindergarten. At any rate, it's just a simple memory of using a computer program in the school library with a bunch of fellow students, getting excited at using something as "high tech" as a computer, that sort of thing. The program was essentially the digital equivelant of playing with Colorforms (though not, oddly enough, the Colorforms computer game), but that didn't matter --- it was on the computer, and that made it instantly so much cooler. The biggest part of that memory is actually where another kid tells me I have to go back to the classroom because I was being too loud and the teacher heard me from all the way down the hall --- which, looking back, was probably a lie on his part so he could get some computer time, but whatever.
My earliest memory of solo computer use is a tie between two "edutainment" programs, Super Muncher and The Oregon Trail game, sometime in the early- to mid-90's. My dad had been able to get an old Apple Macintosh Performa 600 when his workplace updated their computers (is it odd that I can remember the exact model but not my earliest use of it?). Ahhh, Super Muncher. How I wowed everyone by being able to succeed at the "6th Grade Biology" setting despite only being in 4th grade. Heh. That game made use of the computer's internal clock, too, so when December 24th rolled by all the little "extra life" munchers at the bottom of the screen were wearing santa hats. I remember I was like, "wow, the computer knows what day it is! That's so cool!" At the risk of sounding corny and cliche all at once, it really was a magic moment for me.
Ironically, nowadays I can't get my computer to keep knowing what day it is, as for some reason it resets it's internal clock to the day it was activated every time I restart the dern thing. Something to do with memory space (or lack thereof). My, how times change.
Anyways, Oregon Trail entered my life at around the same time, which is why it's such a tough call on which came first for me. I'm almost positive I played the "newer" version for the Macintosh before they introduced us to the earlier Apple IIe version in school. Honestly, I think one would be hard pressed to find someone who grew up in and used computers during the early- to mid-90's who wasn't at least vaguely familiar with Oregon Trail.
And that pretty much set the tone for my computer use for the next half-decade or so; edutainment software, simulation games, "CD playhouses," and the occasional use of QuarkXPress (with lots of help from my dad!) for school projects. Looking back, I feel like I was spoiled in my learning experience compared to earlier generations. I started off opening things from the desktop, and never even thought of probing into the various folders of the hard drive until years later. I still have difficulty with command prompts, and I've been regularly using computers for something around 15 years. I can't imagine how people like me make people who had to learn using punch-cards feel.
Come to think of it, I think I must've also been spoiled in terms of graphics programs, even for my generation. My dad was a graphic artist at the time, so instead of mucking around on, say, MicrosoftWord and MSPaint, I got to cut my teeth on QuarkXPress and Adobe Photoshop 4.0. But that's another rant, really.
So there you have it. My first computer uses. Man, thinking about these really makes me nostalgiac for the old days. I wonder how typical they are of my generation.
...ah, hell. Where'd I put that Oregon Trail CD...
Note: This post is my contribution to the Earliest Memories of Computing blog project. I would've just submitted the full thing to that blog, but I kind of rant off-topic a bit here. As usual.
My earliest memory of computer use is sometime in --- first grade? Second? I can't even remember how old I was at the time. Shoot, might even be kindergarten. At any rate, it's just a simple memory of using a computer program in the school library with a bunch of fellow students, getting excited at using something as "high tech" as a computer, that sort of thing. The program was essentially the digital equivelant of playing with Colorforms (though not, oddly enough, the Colorforms computer game), but that didn't matter --- it was on the computer, and that made it instantly so much cooler. The biggest part of that memory is actually where another kid tells me I have to go back to the classroom because I was being too loud and the teacher heard me from all the way down the hall --- which, looking back, was probably a lie on his part so he could get some computer time, but whatever.
My earliest memory of solo computer use is a tie between two "edutainment" programs, Super Muncher and The Oregon Trail game, sometime in the early- to mid-90's. My dad had been able to get an old Apple Macintosh Performa 600 when his workplace updated their computers (is it odd that I can remember the exact model but not my earliest use of it?). Ahhh, Super Muncher. How I wowed everyone by being able to succeed at the "6th Grade Biology" setting despite only being in 4th grade. Heh. That game made use of the computer's internal clock, too, so when December 24th rolled by all the little "extra life" munchers at the bottom of the screen were wearing santa hats. I remember I was like, "wow, the computer knows what day it is! That's so cool!" At the risk of sounding corny and cliche all at once, it really was a magic moment for me.
Ironically, nowadays I can't get my computer to keep knowing what day it is, as for some reason it resets it's internal clock to the day it was activated every time I restart the dern thing. Something to do with memory space (or lack thereof). My, how times change.
Anyways, Oregon Trail entered my life at around the same time, which is why it's such a tough call on which came first for me. I'm almost positive I played the "newer" version for the Macintosh before they introduced us to the earlier Apple IIe version in school. Honestly, I think one would be hard pressed to find someone who grew up in and used computers during the early- to mid-90's who wasn't at least vaguely familiar with Oregon Trail.
And that pretty much set the tone for my computer use for the next half-decade or so; edutainment software, simulation games, "CD playhouses," and the occasional use of QuarkXPress (with lots of help from my dad!) for school projects. Looking back, I feel like I was spoiled in my learning experience compared to earlier generations. I started off opening things from the desktop, and never even thought of probing into the various folders of the hard drive until years later. I still have difficulty with command prompts, and I've been regularly using computers for something around 15 years. I can't imagine how people like me make people who had to learn using punch-cards feel.
Come to think of it, I think I must've also been spoiled in terms of graphics programs, even for my generation. My dad was a graphic artist at the time, so instead of mucking around on, say, MicrosoftWord and MSPaint, I got to cut my teeth on QuarkXPress and Adobe Photoshop 4.0. But that's another rant, really.
So there you have it. My first computer uses. Man, thinking about these really makes me nostalgiac for the old days. I wonder how typical they are of my generation.
...ah, hell. Where'd I put that Oregon Trail CD...
Labels: computer gaming, essays
posted by Mithrandalf at 2:15 AM
1 Comments:
Damnit, now I want to play Super Munchers.
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