When did you pop your computer cherry?  Was it with someone you loved?

I remember a conversation I had in 1983 with my wonderful English teacher. She was concerned that computers would limit our creativity and produce a uniform society--she read and watched science fiction, bless her heart, and this was a frequent theme in the early computer age. Captain Kirk had to talk Landru the computer to death to save us all from enslavement!  ("You are NOT of the body!")

Fortunately, I had just lost my computer cherry to a gorgeous Apple IIe, and completed a few "science fiction" projects of my own.  Our computer teacher had allowed us to create an online game on the schools computer (singular "computer.") I made mine about Star Trek, and created all new adventures based on "IF, THEN" statements and string variables.  "I was a Teenage Klingon" was a bit of a local hit as a computer game--and even more popular two years later when we modified it to become a drinking game.

At the end of that assignment, we got to design a computer-generated drawing to serve as a cover for our printout.  I made an awesome looking Mr. Spock that loaded is less than TWENTY MINUTES! Then we had a music project in which I had to translate a piece of music into the computer. I chose two pieces and made a medley of them (theme from STAR WARS and theme from CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.) I had to compose a bridge to link them.   (Props to Mr. O for giving very cool computer assignments.)

Here was my point to my English teacher. I had never designed a game before; nor had I composed music before; I had always lacked a flair for drawing. But with the use of the computer, I had done all three quite well. STIFLE CREATIVITY? Not hardly, Mrs. V.

To her credit, she understood my point and went and talked to Mr. O--who gave her all kinds of ideas of where computers might be in 20 years. 

As for me, I will never forget that Apple IIe's beautiful monitor lines and her ample pair of floppy drives.  (Those babies were huge!) And of course, her sleek bottom with that tight little AScii character keyboard!

Excuse me, I need some time alone!