We all had that first computer book, the one that opened our eyes to the digital universe. Whether it taught coding, hardware, or just how to make ...
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
Thank you for sharing this, Richard. It brought back a lot of memories of my time in school. I recall how I first got interested in computers - I remember it started with a simple introduction to what they are, the components, monitors, CPU, mouse, and keyboard (❁´◡`❁) Good ol' days. But I'm still missing my first book that sparked that interest.
When we had computer lectures, I'd often rush to the lab with my friends. During our set time, we'd do our tasks, but afterwards we had the freedom to do whatever we liked, and I always enjoyed experimenting with different things. I remember working with MSWLogo, creating 3D models in Blender, and playing around with HTML tags. That interest eventually led me to web development, and I even started learning the basics of Python. Although I lost touch with it after a while, I'm glad I got to experience that part of my educational journey.
Glad that the post brought back happy memories for you, Aryan!
You mentioning that you are missing your first book made me realise I no longer have mine - must get a replacement copy one day!
Nostalgia time! My first computer book, apart from (science) fiction, must have been an official home computer manual teaching basic BASIC programming. If I don't count that accessory, it was another BASIC book by Creative Computing from Morristown, New Jersey containing countless lenghty listings to read and typewrite into your computer. I guess that was the 1980s hobbyist version of "Tutorial Hell". I used to team up with my father, who'd bought that book and we took turns dictating and typing. I remember that was a common way to spread software in that era and we even copied machine language that way.
That's really cool, Ingo, especially as you framed it as "Tutorial Hell" - much like the code listings in computer magazines that, more often than not, had a typing error in them!
Also loved how your Father and yourself were effectively pair-programming to boot!
Ah, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum! The first computer I ever worked with was a Thomson TO7 (from the same generation). The first book? A GW-Basic manual… I built (among other things) a book management program for my college library in GW-Basic (but on a PC with an i8086 and a dual 5.25" floppy disk drive).
Thanks for sharing, Pascal. I have to admit, I wasn’t aware of the Thomson TO7 before - that’s a new one for me. It’s always fascinating to hear about the different systems people grew up with, especially those that were more regionally popular.
And building a library book management program in GW-BASIC on an i8086 with dual 5.25″ floppies? That’s properly hands-on computing. Those early projects really were the best kind of education.
The Thomson TO7 was a typically French computer, found mainly in secondary schools as part of an ambitious government plan to promote computer science among students (the plan was ambitious, its implementation, as always… more or less chaotic); I don't think it was used anywhere else. Today, of course, it's obsolete, but at the time, it was a real revolution, in an era when personal computing was still in its infancy.
Indeed, Pascal. I just finished reading the Wikipedia link over lunch. Sounds much like our BBC Model B computer in the UK. I never did Computer Studies at school though - in my school there was one Model B for a class of 30 pupils!
Sinclair ZX Spectrum? That sounds like @baltasarq 's favorite device
Yeah! Diving there now!
I didn't have any books. All I had was chatGPT, documentation, and I read Inigo Quilez's website about computer graphics, math, and all that stuff. Oh, I forgot, there was also YouTube. Real (i.e., printed) books have long since been replaced by all this "internet stuff."
Indeed, Ember, it's an experience not everyone is going to have had, nor can relate to. Those same tools, documentation, websites, and videos got you where you needed to go though!
Lucky you. Indeed! )
I have a bunch of these Usbourne books. Last year a youtuber typed a bunch of their game listings in to see what they were like, which is something I was meaning to do for the last million years but was too lazy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73yftr5k4Bo&t=803s
Oh, thanks for the link, Ben! Checking it out now! Love that you have a collection of the Usbourne books - always wanted more myself. Then again, I don't need to worry, Usbourne have PDF versions - Usborne 1980s Computer Books - available for download!
Yeah...
Borland C++ 4.0 :)))
This is a total shot in the dark, Yurii, but wasn't Using Borland C++ 4.0 by any chance?
Found it :)
Tom Swan. Mastering Borland C++ 4.5
Ah, nice! Thanks for sharing, Yurii. Always amazed by the colourful covers on some of these old coding books!
Heh, good question, Yurii. Unfortunately, I don't remember but I suspect my second book probably had something to do with IRC (Internet Relay Chat) - probably on the topic of scripting.
I learned to program with this book that comes with my old MSX 8-bit computer. The same gold age as Spectrum and Commodore.
What a good memories, amazing what computers with just 64KB of RAM and around 4MHz CPU were able to do.
Wow, thanks for this, Fernando. I remember the MSX. I think my late Father had an MSX copy of Elite (my all-time favourite game).
What I also recall is that there was a UK electrical retailer called Comet and they were selling off MSX computers at one point. Always regretted not picking one up!
MSX had success in Europe mainly in Spain and Netherlands. Konami's games were the best, some game series like Castlevania and Metal Gear were born in this computer. But my favourite ones from Konami were the Nemesis (aka Gradius) saga and The Goonies, a beautiful platform game based on the film.
Yeah, I had a feeling Konami supported the MSX quite well - thanks for confirming! Never did play The Goonies!
You can try it here ;-)
file-hunter.com/MSX/?id=goonies
Cheers, Fernando. Much appreciated!
A textbook about C/C++ by Deitel & Deitel
The nice thing about this post is that it's reminding me just how popular C/C++ was - and still is of course!.
This just unlocked a memory 😄
My first computer book was on LOGO. I still remember making the turtle move with commands like forward, right, and hideturtle to complete diagrams.
Seeing shapes appear because of my instructions felt like pure magic. That tiny turtle was my first intro to logical thinking without me even realising it.
That is so cool that it just came back to you, ujja! Your mention of a turtle make me go look it up - nice idea for a graphics model!
Haha, yeah. LOGO programming was cool back then. All of us felt like geniuses 😸
Heh, I bet!
Nice post and a good reminder, one of the earliest books I remember studying in late 1990s -> one of "Pointers in C - Yashwant Kanetkar" OR "Object oriented programming in C++ by Robert Lafore", on top of my head.
That's really cool, Shitij. Again, C/C++ is proving to be very popular indeed!
My introduction to my passion was the Sinclair ZX Spectrum User manual. It was exceptionally well written, and introduced me in the world of computers, and especially, programming.
The Spectrum is not dead, and there is still development on the field, as well as even new machines. Basic (and Python), is a good way to feed the nostalgic push.
Thanks for sharing this, Baltasar! I actually had a ZX Spectrum 48K+ back in the day, so I remember that very manual well. I don’t have that machine anymore, but I do have its earlier sibling instead - the plain 48K - along with the Sinclair Interface 1, the Microdrives, and the Interface 2. I believe I have the Service Manual too!