1. When I realized that there's a thing called "computer science", and you can actually study things related to programming. It's not just ad hoc tricks written

1. When I realized that there's a thing called "computer science", and you can actually study things related to programming. It's not just ad hoc tricks written by experienced and bearded C programmers. You see, I'm self-taught from an early age, and learnt programming via skimming "VB for Dummies" when I was 8 y.o. or so. I didn't know anyone at all that knew how to program. It would take another decade before I met someone who knew how to program. 2. When I read K&R at the age of 14. Before that, I had just followed random tutorials that I found on the internet. From that point on, I went straight to the source (no pun intended) when it comes to learning new stuff.