I think you may be my doppelganger, but I started off on a TI-83+. ;) There is some special about introducing yourself to programming on limited hardware like

I think you may be my doppelganger, but I started off on a TI-83+. ;) There is some special about introducing yourself to programming on limited hardware like that. It's the sort of device that you can grow into, and which challenges you to get innovative when you start to reach its limitations. I don't believe that sort of environment is the only environment that somebody with a hacker mentality and approach can be created, but it does seem to be a good way to do it.