Squeak smalltalk adventure

A love affair with smalltalk

Before the Internet was an integral part of daily life and the word Website was still unheard of, I had my first-hand experience with Computer Programming using the Basic interpreter that came with the Apple II personal computer at the training school that I enrolled in. It was a one-month crash course that introduced the fundamentals of the computer and the Basic language itelf. I learned about Variables from my teacher who treated me like an unworthy acolyte while he laborioously explained the difference between a String Variable and a Numeric Variable as though they were the most wonderful nuggets of wisdom and he a High Priest who was full of it and overflowing with a generosity to share these secret doctrines. I especially noticed how he would display his knowledge and showcase his genius when it was a young female student he was tutoring. So involved would his explanations be and so confused his listener.

This was my first brush with the Black Art of Computer Programming which sounded to me like an esoteric, forbidden knowledge whose fruit could only be savored by select Cognoscenti. Who would not fail to be intimidated when confronted by Kilobytes of Floppy Disk space and dynamic Random Access Memories? Not to mention static RAMs and CPUs with blazing megahertz? Add to that mix the ever-mysterious database files which constantly faced cross-linking and corruption and you have the beginnings of TechnoPhobia. Which was not really a bad thing once you got over the fear of the jargon and deciphered the mumbo-jumbo to mean very specific terms. Then it would be your turn to play Tech Guru.

posted by underdog @ 3:14 AM