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In the early 80's it was harder to avoid.
My first computer was an Atari 800, with a Pacman cartridge and a BASIC cartridge. You can only play so much Pacman.
After that I got a ZX Spectrum, which I programmed by typing in listings from magazines, and making modifications, eventualy working my way up to writing my own stuff. Super-Pro Lemming simulator was a memorable low point 
Ryan
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I was too old to start before I was 10, but I started programming as soon as I could get my hands on a computer, an old ZX-81 followed by a BBC Micro. Ah the joys of Z80A and 6502 Assemby language.
Generally I found, that the people whose main interest for getting a computer was to play games never became programmers. Unless the challenge of writing a program was always much more challenging that that of finishing a game, you'll never have enough motivation to be a programmer.
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Well, I may have started programming at 8, but I did not do anything professional until my second year of college (I worked for both of my colleges...)
Peace!
-=- James (Sonork:100.21837)
[Tip for SUV winter driving survival: "Professional Driver on Closed Course" does not mean "your Dumb Ass on a Public Road"!]
[Get Delete FXP Files Now!]
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I started programming on a Sinclair ZX81 when I was 10, mainly because I only had one game for it and so I had to make my own entertainment. Moving from there to a ZX Spectrum, where I continued programming because I couldn't afford the games.
Michael
But you know when the truth is told,
That you can get what you want or you can just get old,
Your're going to kick off before you even get halfway through.
When will you realise... Vienna waits for you? - "The Stranger," Billy Joel
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It's a long time ago, but I still have the "Mainboard" of my old ZX81.
I also had the memory expansion (16KB - that rocks!).
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Games are actually how I first got interested in computers. I remember being in an arcade when I was younger, and watching (um, bothering!) a technician that was repairing a game (I think it was "Warrior").
He told me that a video game was nothing but a computer with buttons instead of a keyboard! 
After hearing that, I was hooked!
-=- James.
-=- James (Sonork:100.21837)
[Tip for SUV winter driving survival: "Professional Driver on Closed Course" does not mean "your Dumb Ass on a Public Road"!]
[Get Delete FXP Files Now!]
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Keep in mind how easy some visual tools are nowadays. When people my age (I'm 39) were 10 there were no personal computers. Now they have tools such that at the very least allow you to create very simple apps without any programming logic or experience needed.
Cheers,
Tom Archer
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
* Inside C# -Second Edition
* Visual C++.NET Bible
* Extending MFC Applications with the .NET Framework
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I started at 7 on my ZX81, and had written my first relational database(on the ZX Spectrum) by the time I was 9. It all went downhill from there... 
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A lot of us will be the product of the home computer age. I know I am. I got my hands on my first home computer around the age of 12, a Dragon 32. I taught myself BASIC and migrated into assembler code on it
But mainly I was in it for the games. I kinda fell into programming as a job by accident. I got a job as a laboratory technican (read general dogs-body). This was basically a help out the boss roll. He passed some programming work onto me after I spotted a small bug in some assembler code he had written. After a couple of years in that job, I went on to University to formalise my qualifications and have been at the same firm for 10 years since graduation.
So from a small seeds,a rather large and bloated apple grows. 
Roger Allen - Sonork 100.10016
Roger Wright: Remember to buckle up, please, and encourage your friends to do the same. It's not just about saving your life, but saving the quality of life for those you may leave behind...
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If you are born on '60 it's hard that someone gives you access to a mainframe or even to a computer room...
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That's exactly what i though by myself. I was born in 62, and had (affordable) access to a computer only in 81...no chance for the 10..15 years vote 
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