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I started work in 1992,and joined the generation "computerizing the world". We literally sold computers with our software - most customers had zero, of maybe 1

I started work in 1992,and joined the generation "computerizing the world". We literally sold computers with our software - most customers had zero, of maybe 1 computer. I was almost unique in that my qualification was computer science. My boss was a mechanical engineer. His partner was a land surveyor. I would go to a conference and I'd meet doctors, lawyers, mechanics, pilots, police, pretty much every occupation under the sun except "programmer". All of these folk had the same story, they needed something for their day job, so they learned, and wrote it. Many pivoted into selling the stuff they wrote. I made/make a living selling technology and training to this generation. They often have significant market share in niche markets. But today its different. Table stakes for entry is two magnitudes larger. I started with a thin apple 2 book, and coded the same day. Our commercial programs (for DOS) were primitive. They've had 30 years to grow. Today out the box you need to understand Windows, databases, integrations, networking and do on. The days of Dr Bob writing some software for his practice are gone. Programming, like doctoring, requires a lot more now to make an impact. The next generation will have their own path to tread, their own stories to tell. But our path, our experience, is of limited value to them.

detourdog 4y ago
I'm an Industrial Designer and in 1992 every office just handed all computer tasks to the young. I learned about networks and planned a Novel 3.11 Network with a Mac NLM for a 30 person office. I then added an Ascend Pipeline 50 to connect an ISDN and added a nice layer or TCP/IP. This was probably the most exciting 5 years of learning. The Macs were all moved to system 7 which had built-n networking the PCs needed the Novel server to centrally share files. and we bought Asante NuBus internal cards for Mac SE/30 and the Mac IIs. We also used Asante SCSI to ethernet adaptors. I transformed from a Macintosh power user to system administrator. I was lucky to have exposure to IBM PCs because I learned the fundamentals and they haven't changed at all last time I looked. The Macs all hid their interrupts but could handle all the same default number peripherals as an IBM PC. The IBM PC had all sorts of configuration files. These files included describing the hard drive's mechanical specifics. The network cards all needed a to be assigned an open IRQ. This was the defining difference between a Macintosh and an IBM PC. The other more obvious difference was the GUI. I became a Metcalfe Law zealot. I actually feel we are entering the same sort of frenzy of new development.

detourdog 4y ago

I'm an Industrial Designer and in 1992 every office just handed all computer tasks to the young. I learned about networks and planned a Novel 3.11 Network with a Mac NLM for a 30 person office. I then added an Ascend Pipeline 50 to connect an ISDN and added a nice layer or TCP/IP. This was probably the most exciting 5 years of learning. The Macs were all moved to system 7 which had built-n networking the PCs needed the Novel server to centrally share files. and we bought Asante NuBus internal cards for Mac SE/30 and the Mac IIs. We also used Asante SCSI to ethernet adaptors. I transformed from a Macintosh power user to system administrator. I was lucky to have exposure to IBM PCs because I learned the fundamentals and they haven't changed at all last time I looked. The Macs all hid their interrupts but could handle all the same default number peripherals as an IBM PC. The IBM PC had all sorts of configuration files. These files included describing the hard drive's mechanical specifics. The network cards all needed a to be assigned an open IRQ. This was the defining difference between a Macintosh and an IBM PC. The other more obvious difference was the GUI. I became a Metcalfe Law zealot. I actually feel we are entering the same sort of frenzy of new development.