From handheld electronic games to cassette tape file storage, my journey through early computers was quite the adventure. It all started with Merlin, a handheld game that sparked my fascination with technology. Then came the TRS-80 from Radio Shack, with its cassette tape storage system that seemed like magic at the time. Not only that, but it also had a mere 4K of memory. I think it sold for as much as $600 at the time. But the real game-changer was when my dad got me an Apple IIc. It actually had a floppy disk drive and some monochrome graphics, with I think 256K of memory (kilobytes). That system ran about $1300 back then. Suddenly, I was diving into the world of personal computing with endless possibilities at my fingertips. Reflecting on those early days reminds me of how far we've come in the world of technology.

I recall the games. On the TRS-80, it was “Swashbuckler,” released in 1982 by Paul Stephenson for the TRS-80 computer. It was a text-based adventure game where players navigated through various scenarios as a pirate, engaging in sword fights, ship battles, and treasure hunts. It's one of the early pirate-themed games for home computers and was enjoyed by many gamers of that era.

On the Apple II, it was “Karatika,” developed by Broderbund Software and released in 1986. It's an action-adventure game where players control a prince named Karan who must rescue his beloved princess from an evil wizard named Namtut. The game features platforming elements, sword fights, and puzzle-solving as the player progresses through various levels to ultimately confront Namtut and save the princess. It was well-received for its graphics, gameplay, and challenging levels, becoming a favorite among Apple II gamers.

One day, a friend invited me over to check out his Apple IIe. He had porn for the computer, which was totally new and I had never seen it before. It was this green monochrome picture you could barely tell what it was. Totally awesome!

What were your first computer experiences like?