Back(space) to the Future

Anyone remember this?

10 INPUT "What is your name: "; U$
20 PRINT "Hello "; U$
30 REM
40 INPUT "How many stars do you want: "; N
50 S$ = ""
60 FOR I = 1 TO N
70 S$ = S$ + "*"
80 NEXT I
90 PRINT S$
100 REM
110 INPUT "Do you want more stars? "; A$
120 IF LEN(A$) = 0 THEN GOTO 110
130 A$ = LEFT$(A$, 1)
140 IF (A$ = "Y") OR (A$ = "y") THEN GOTO 40
150 PRINT "Goodbye ";
160 FOR I = 1 TO 200
170 PRINT U$; " ";
180 NEXT I
190 PRINT

If you were a tech-head back in the 70s or 80s, then you'll instantly recognize this as the old BASIC programming language.

I got into a conversation with a co-worker today where I found myself espousing on the history of programming languages and the advent of the home PC. I remember my excitement when, having outgrown my Tandy MC-10 computer's 4K of ram (!), I saved up enough money to buy myself the 16K expansion module to increase my internal memory to a then-massive 20K! Wow!

This was purely a hobbyist or beginner's machine - but hey, I was 15 and this was my first computer! I taught myself how to program using this thing, and I still have fond memories of it even with stats like this:
- 32x16 text screen;
- low-res of 64x32, with 8 colors;
- high-res of 256x192, with 2 colors;
- I/O ports: serial interface, cassette interface

That's it, folks. I plugged this puppy into my television using a signal splitter and BAM! I was a hacker, baby!

I can look back and remember with so much fondness, all the "advances" I made back then. Upgrading to the 128K ram Color Computer 3 (it cost me $199 from Radio Shack, half of which I had to save up for and the other half my mom put up as a christmas gift); getting my very first 5-1/4" floppy disk drive (a later gift from my dad). Learning to program joystick commands for game input. Getting published in Rainbow Magazine, a publication for Tandy users that printed programming code (I'd KILL to be able to order copies of these mags!)

I look at computers today - and the people using them - and realize how far we've come. Using a computer in this age is a given; the idea of a home without one is unthinkable. The computer is to my generation what the telephone must have been to my grandparents'; we take it for granted that everyone has one, everyone knows how to use one. If we find someone who hasn't we look at them like circus freaks, odd beings from another planet. Primatives, who need to be taught.

I'm rambling. This trip down memory lane is bringing on the good vibrations, so I'm just going to enjoy the ride.

Of course, the coconut rum I just had is probably adding to the eurphoria. But why dwell on it? :)