Byte my shiny Machine Language...

During 1983 a devious, yet wonderful magazine was on the newstands and I was crazy enough to send in for a subscription.  That magazine was Compute's Gazette!  This wonderful but down right devious magazine just grabbed the C-64 and VIC-20 users by the fingers and refused to let go!

What was so powerful about this magazine?  Glad you asked.  This magazine gave us the ability to MANUALLY input Machine Language coding that if done correctly...would allow you to play a free graphic based game or utilize a neat little program.  Now for those that do not know or remember what Machine Lanugage is, you are very lucky.  Just thinking about the hundreds of lines of code that had to be input by hand for hours and hours and hours makes my fingers and eyes start to hurt all over again.  To make it even harder, if you did not have an external storage device (floppy or tape) entering the code for a game that you really enjoyed with end as soon as you turned off the computer or heaven forbid - the power would go out!

You have to remember, back then there were no massive 1TB hard drives, if you were lucky and had the money you could have a 50MB drive.  But those of us that had a "shoestring" budget, I started with an external tape drive.  Oh wait, some of you younger people may not know what a tape is...let's say it correctly...a casette tape.  You know, those small little rectangular plastic things you see your parents talk about when they find an old box in storage with a ton of tapes full of music.  Yes, back then there were no iPods or CDs, just casette tapes.  I was lucky because we always had tapes around because my aunt would record some of the church sermons when we attended the bishop's church.  So every now and then I was able to sneak one casette out of the pack and use it for my programs.

Ok, back on the main point of Machine Language.  That language was a monster to input because you had to do everything absolutely perfect from beginning to end.  I know the image to the left is not very clear, but it gives you an example of a page from the magazine that would need to be entered by hand in order to run a specific program.

Now you would have to tell the system what is the starting point address and end point of the address where the data was to be stored in memory.  Once you set those parameters, the fun started and you had to load line by line of code.  There were six data bytes plus a seventh data byte to be the checksum.  Now if you entered the data correctly, the next address would auto-increment onto the screen and you would load the next set of bytes.  If the checksum was wrong, then you would get a little buzzer sounnd from the CPU and you would have to figure out what you did wrong.

In order for me to know exactly where I was with the inputs, I used another piece of paper to slide down the page to only show the line I was working on at the time. Of course the computer was also telling me what line to input based on the original parameters that I input at the beginning. But from time to time, after looking at three to six pages of Machine Language, the numbers start to play tricks on your eyes. (Even as I type this, my eyes are staying far away from looking at that image!)

So after typing hours and hours of code into the computer, I would save the data and run the program.  While playing various games I would forget about all of the code that I had to input. I would sit there and just have a great time playing and learning all sorts of things about this new electronic world that was made available to people in their homes.

One day at school, i mentioned to a few friends that I had a really cool game that I programmed into my computer and I copied it on a tape for them to try.  To my surprise, one friend informed me of this new thing that let's you use the telephone line to access a type of board to share and get things from other people.  Too cool, I gotta check this out!

Wait a second, Tulare doesn't have one of these things, but there is one in Fresno and I have the phone number.  I will try this thing called a Bullentin Board System.  It's long-distance, but since it is a computer talking with another computer, it should be free, right?  The phone company only charges when people talk on the phone?

Phone bill arrives...(You know where the next blog is heading...)

My first PET, VIC-20...

Yes, a geek was born in 1981...or at least a young kid that was really fascinated in personal computers.

My first real experience with an actual personal computer was in my elective class of BASIC Programming. I was introduced to the Commodore PET computer.  At the time, I thought it was the greatest invention of all time.  I was able to set in front of that computer and learn the BASIC language.  My classmates and I would make up many different programs to run and just have fun with the computers.  There was 4 of these computers in the computer lab at the high school and you would always find at least 1-2 students working on them every hour of the day.

Right now when I think back about the PET computer, I believe the concept and image of ET was based on looking at this PET computer...if you don't believe me, take a good look at this picture and think of ET!

After learning on this computer for a few months, I really had the feeling that I should see if I could buy a computer for myself.  I started looking in all of the different stores that we had in Tulare, CA at the time and to my surprise, there was only one store that I was able to find a personal computer.  It was at the local K-Mart store in the electronics department and it cost a little too much for my price range.  So I had no choice but to wait for a while before I could afford to buy one.

The school year went by rather quickly and the summer was fast approaching.  During the final weeks of school I keep wondering and planning on what I would do to try to earn the money I needed.  Two weeks before school was out, I found out that the school district was looking for students to work with the school district painters for the summer.  BINGO!!!  I now have a summer job and would be able to buy a personal computer after a few weeks of working.

I started the job and once I received my second paycheck, I quickly road my bike home and begged my aunt for a ride to the K-Mart store.  She agreed to take me and as we left the house, I don't even remember the ride to the store.  I was sitting in the passenger seat of the car and just daydreaming of all of the programs that I created during the school year.  I wanted to try to remember all of them and create those same programs again.  As I snap out of my dream state and refocus my eyes, I notice that we are now parked in front of K-Mart.  My heart starts to skip a beat with each step that I take towards the store.  I hear song birds singing, the gentle creatures of the world are gathering at the door and welcoming me into this magical land.  It seems like my feet are not touching the ground and I am just floating on an electronic cloud of happiness.  The lights of the electronics area of the store seemed to grow brighter as I approach the area.  It is tunnel vision and I see the personal computer display.  There it is, my quest, my dream, my future, my beginning...the Commodore VIC-20 Personal Computer.

I reach carefully for the box which seems to sparkle in the light of the store display. I slowly wrap my fingers carefully around the box as though the box is crafted from eggshells.  My arms and legs begin to work together to ensure that I carefully balance the box correctly in my tingling hands. At last, the box is securely within my grasp and my eyes have a gleam of peace and happiness. I turn to the checkout counter in the electronics department and place the box so gently and proudly on the counter.  The gentleman behind the counter looks at me and gives me a smile.  I quickly took the cash out of my wallet and placed the total price on the counter.  But wait, the gentleman isn't taking my money. As I curiously look at his face, I see his lips moving, but I am in such a state of euphoria that I have no idea what he is saying.  He continues to say something as my hearing is reconnected to my brain, he is giving me some additional information.  He tells me that I should also purchase a tape drive and additional memory for the computer.  Oh boy, did I make enough money to afford all of these extra items?  What can I do?  I did not fully plan out my thought process of owning my personal computer.

Instantly, the bring lights of the store, the singing of the song birds and the crushing forces of gravity seem to attack me at the same time and bring me crashing back to earth with darkness and silence all around me.  My heart is heavy...my dream is about to snatched away from me in the blink of an eye.  As I stand there and try to add up everything in my head, I reach the new total and it has come to the giant amount of $185.  Time seemed to stop as my eyes slowly looked back to my wallet.  I have to count how much I have because I could not remember at all.  I start the count, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 165, 166, 167...NOOOOOO....there is no more in my wallet.  I stand there is disbelief, no, this can't be right.  I have come so far, only to be denied as I have the dream in my grasp.

From a distance, I look over to my aunt who is a few yards away and she sees the total hurt in my eyes and walks over to me.  By this time, I already have a few tears forming in my eyes and I feel that the laws of gravity have doubled on my poor young body.  My aunt walks up to me and quickly asks what is the problem.  I explain the problem and she gives me that smile of comfort and love to me again.  She opens her wallet and gives me the additional money that I need.  The tears finally flow from my eyes from total happiness.

I quickly make a promise to my aunt that no matter what she wants me to do around the house to pay her back, all she has to do is tell me and she gets what she wants.  In the true form of a loving parent she quickly says, "honey, you worked hard to get this and the few dollars I just spent to help you has already been paid to me by your smile and affection toward me".  YES, IT IS MINE!!!!

Once we arrived back at the house, I quickly clean my dresser top off and set up my new personal computer.  The day that I made the purchase was on a Friday afternoon.  I don't remember the weekend at all, because I stayed in my room on that computer for two days straight.  If it wasn't for the fact that we humans had to eat and go to the bathroom, I truly believe I would have never let that computer out of my sight!

Do you remember Machine Language?  I sure do...

It started in the 80's...

My interest in the world of Information Technology began back in the 1980's when I was a young and curious teenager.  I would take apart all of my electronic toys and try to figure out what made them do the amazing things that they would do. 

The first thing to be taken apart was my old transistor AM/FM radio.  Each time I would open the back of the radio to input new batteries, I would take notice of all of the other gizmos that sat inside of the radio.  Once I realized that I could take it apart and see each component, I was intrigued to find out more.  I had to try my best to understand how the radio waves that fly through the air can be converted to sound and bring me so much enjoyment.  Needless to say, at the age of 13, there was not much I could do at the time to learn more.

I would find myself searching around the toy stores for other things that I could take apart to see if I could learn even more.  My search was over after about a year of searching. I discovered the great electronic toy I had ever had at that time...The 150 in One Electronic Project Kit!  My eyes opened so wide at the sight of this grand toy, if my eyes fell out of my head, I would not have been surprised.  My mind immediately started to work on the possibilities of how I would be able to purchase this dream toy.  I have to earn money and do it fast!

I found myself working in everyone's yards over the next few weeks in order to come up with the money I needed to buy it.  Cutting the lawns of 15 neighbors, washing 22 cars by hand, cleaning up after people's pets (EWWW).  I didn't care, I MUST HAVE THIS DREAM TOY!  After working so hard for 3 weeks straight during the unforgiving summer heat, I finally had enough money to buy it.

I rushed home as fast as possible, running down the streets of Tulare as though a monster was chasing me home.  I burst through the front door and yelled to my aunt, "I DID IT, MA, I HAVE ENOUGH TO GET IT NOW!"  My aunt looked at me and just gave me a little smile and said, "I knew you would do it and you should be very proud of yourself for working so hard to get something on your own".  As I stood there and caught my breath, my aunt told me that I needed to calm down, jump in the shower and then go in my room to get ready to go to the store. I think my clothes must have been made out of paper because I ripped the clothes off and took a fast shower.  I think the water just had enough time to get me wet and I jumped out and towel dried as much as I could.  No time to waste drying myself and being neat, I have a destiny to achieve.

As I quickly run back to my room, my aunt is just smiling at me as I run past her to my room. To my surprise, I slam right into my closed bedroom door and hit the floor...HARD!  My aunt starts to laugh and quickly tells me to calm down. I didn't think about it at the time, but why was my door closed, I never close my door until bedtime.  As I open my door, I dart in and head to the closet and try to find something to wear.  My aunt walks up to my door and quickly says, "You know, we don't have to go to the store right now".  My heart dropped, what is she thinking...fine I will just ride my bike downtown and get it myself.  As my heart has now dropped a little bit, I decide to flop onto my bed and show my total disappointment in her decision.  As I turn to flop, I am thoroughly surprised to see a box on my bed.  I look closely at the box and start to make out the letters shown at the top of the box.  T   H   E  1  5  0  i  n  O  n e  E....OH MY GOOSH!  IT'S HERE ALREADY!  But how, when, what, who...I look at my aunt and she is just standing there with a big smile and says, "you earned this just by working so hard the last few weeks, it is yours and you keep the money that you have made".

After hugging and kissing my aunt for a good 2 minutes, I tore into the box and started to read and build everything.  I was working on all 150 items for many months.  I would read what certain configurations would create and then started to test my own methods of building circuits. I spent so much time building circuits the summer went by too quickly.

As I prepared for the end of the summer and the beginning of the school year, I had the chance to look through the optional classes that were being offered.  To my surprise, the school was offering a class in BASIC language and Machine language.  I knew at that time, I have to be in those classes, I have to learn more, I need to learn more, I won't be happy until I know more!

A GEEK IS BEING BORN...