HyperCard was wonderful. It whet my appetite for programming when I was in third grade. The verbose syntax gave me the ability to open other people's stacks and

HyperCard was wonderful. It whet my appetite for programming when I was in third grade. The verbose syntax gave me the ability to open other people's stacks and learn the fundamentals of imperative programming by example. Now I have a CS degree under my belt, have had great jobs for the past six years (it's been that long already?), and feel no way compromised by having originally cut my teeth on a toy language. I think the author is wrong here. It should be something like this: please learn to code, but just keep in mind that there is always room to improve your craft. I've seen a lot of novice programmers who cling to the one language they know and guard their One True Language jealously. Just don't be that guy, keep moving and keep learning, and you'll be fine.