When I was ~10 or so, learning C++ by typing in examples from books and realizing the book went to print well before the code it contained could compile was a c

When I was ~10 or so, learning C++ by typing in examples from books and realizing the book went to print well before the code it contained could compile was a common occurrence. Sometimes you could send away for a 3.5" floppy with updated code but other times you muddled through or just gave up. This was slightly better than earlier when learning BASIC and the code was from one of the magazines so you had no chance (but the programs were simpler and often more correct).