Just getting started.

Speaking of getting started, my next door neighbor who is retired and in his sixties and I were talking the other day, and I mentioned that I would kill to be retired. He asked me just what I would do with my time. I mentioned that I would probably spend every waking moment on my atari writing programs. He looked interested and wanted to go take a look. He has never owned a computer, and can't afford an expensive pc, and what I showed him on my atari just blew him away. He now wants to buy an atari and get started in the world of computers. I am now on the active alert for an atari system for him. It's neat to see someone that hasn't ever owned a computer get interested especially on one of the older computers. He was even happy about the fact that you could connect it to a tv, and not have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a monitor that you can't use on anything but the computer. I think these classic computers are great to learn on and now they can be picked up for a very reasonable price. Of course, I miss being able to go down to the local store and pick up what I needed, but there are things still out there, it just takes a little longer to find. I got started when I went to visit my uncle in california in 1981 or 82. He had an atari 800, and after playing a few games, I asked him how you make a game. He pulled a sheet of paper out of the basic manual, and told me to type this in exactly as it is printed. I did, and two hours later, I had an american flag on the screen. I couldn't decide whether you just type and type and whatever comes up, you just enjoy it, or if these people actually knew what they were doing. Before I had even received my atari, I had magazines laying around, and had just about figured out how to program before I had even gotten the machine. I bet I really pissed off that u.p.s. guy stopping him every day asking if I had a package. That started my career in computers, and now I program for a living. I still own my atari, and use it often. I didn't start as a classic collector, I started as a classic user, but through time I have ended up as a classic collector. If anyone comes across an atari, or atari equipment that they don't want, I will be more than happy to give it a good working home. To me it feels like stepping into a time machine and rolling back the clock to my high school years to be able to sit down and use my old machines. Of course, back then I didn't have any bills, and had 3 months off in the summer. Maybe that's why I keep using my atari. Isaac Davis : Doing the bull dance. idavis(a)comland.com : Feeling the flow. indavis(a)juno.com : Working it. Working it.