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First Computer
My first computer experience was with a "portable" computer [oldcomputers.net] (luggable at best) which my father brought home. It had Compaq DOS version 1.12 on it and I had just turned 5, so my first game was a game were you picked the upper case or lower case letter that matched the one they were showing. I guess that's when I got hooked.
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Compaq Portable, 1982
Image courtesy of oldcomputers.net |
Learning to Program
In second or third grade my school started experimenting with teaching a little bit of programming at an early age which was quickly traded (I think it was only for a couple of days but I have a vivid memory of how it was so exciting) for a typing class. In 3rd-4th grade we were introduced to LOGO. 3rd-5th I spent more time in typeing type classes working on an elementary school paper, that class was fun since through the semester we were able to try out new hardware the school was looking at. We were able to play with writing tablets, touch screens, and other inputs.
Image of my DOS v1.12 disk
Yes, I still have it
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In 5th grade I actually started really programming. I remember looking up from the computer chair at the bookshelf above me. There was a set of Compaq books with fake suede type binding that had come with the computer. I used to stare up at the set of books being able to read the spines, DOS, BASIC and maybe the third book was a general hardware guide. The BASIC book always peeked my curiosity, since it sounded so simple. When I did finally get my father to take it down from the shelf for me (with warnings that it wasn't really a basic guide or something) I read it practically cover to cover. After copying a few of the sample programs I began changing them and then starting my own. It's funny that I to this day still have found memories of the pages and some of the sections. In 6th grade it was required that I take a computer class (typing or beginning programming were the only options) the started taking the programming in Qbasic and GWbasic at school and spent much of the time sharing tips from a lesson or so ahead to other students. I spent my 8th grade summer break learning Turbo Pascal with a friend.
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Getting Connected
During my 8th grade year I became a regular BBS poster on one of the largest Austin BBSes and on a couple of smaller BBSes run by friends. I started my own BBS around this time (although without many visitors it was really more of an experiment in running one and getting to try new add-ons). I was ecstatic when the local BBS finally connected their e-mail accounts to the Internet (they uploaded them once a day in the evenings, first only to their sister BBSes then to the Internet). I learned to type quickly in the BBS chatrooms and later in MUDs. Also around this time, I had found access to the Internet through a friend of a friend who had an advisor who had given him access to an Internet account through a local school. There were about 5 of us who split the dial-up account, to the point were we got in a bit of trouble for someone basically always being online. As soon as we were connected, I quickly learned to telnet to MUDs and began programming on them. In 9th grade I had already learned Turbo Pascal the summer before. The advanced Turbo Pascal programming class time didn't fit with my schedule. The time conflict did provide me an opportunity to teach one of the students from the introductory class a quicker paced Turbo Pascal. While the class was in the classroom we were in the lab. The teacher had suggested this arrangement, since we needed another UIL team member and we were both good students in the class. In 10th grade (1994) I was helping test and create graphics for a Virtual Reality MUD which could be added to a BBS. In 11th grade I was in a university program and had access to the internet which luckily was the same year Netscape came out and I finally saw the WWW with graphics, when the systems were upgraded to allow PPP access at the end of that year!
Looking Back at the Early Years
I'm up to about 20 programming languages now and the funniest thing about this whole history was that I didn't realize I was constantly on the front-line of technology until looking back just now to compare dates. That was simply when I first learned about something and became interested.
Ericka's Softouch, starting up in 1994
Ericka's Softouch began in Austin, Texas in 1994 as a simple computer troubleshooting and typing company after receiving numerous requests from family friends to fix their computers. Quickly Ericka's Softouch branched in training of basic computer and office skills such as; scanners, copiers, printers, fax machines, typewriters, digital cameras, modems, batch file use, and software applications. Also in 1994, Ericka's Softouch began teaching basic programming to family friend's children.
Ericka's Softouch, big changes in 1996
In 1996 a major project was undertaken which soon lead to a complete change in the company structure and focus. It was a very new idea, for the times, and a huge task. The goal was to create a CD-ROM yearbook for the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities. While many options were explored and partially developed (such as a 3D creation of the dorms using a program similar to VRML), in order to allow the most number of users to access the final product, with the best chances for long-term computer survival, HTML was finally decided on for the design. We did miss on the guess that Netscape would win the browser wars, however in anticipation for such a chance, we included the version of Netscape it was originally designed to run with.
Starting in 1997 Ericka's Softouch began webpage development. A few of the clients included; a company specializing in power washing, numerous personal websites, ASEP-TECH, marketing techniques for pre-existing websites, a website for the University Tower's Halloween pictures, websites for updated Breast Cancer information, a guide to raising and care of Love Birds for breeders, and the Unofficial TALH Web Page. Ericka's Softouch also started an introductory to webpage design page in order to educate home users while attracting larger companies. Also in 1997, Ericka's Softouch branched into CDs designed for portfolio presentation (example).
In 2001 Ericka moved to Australia and Ericka's Softouch was put into limbo.
In 2003 Ericka's Softouch opened its doors again assisting with webpage design, forum administration, and marketing at The Third Restoration(thanks to the web archive for this view of the site before URU returned). *Marketing with the Third Restoration included a set of demonstration/marketing videos. The first video was received far better than ever anticipated and crashed servers in a matter of only hours of being posted online (before marketing was fully implemented). Initial video download estimates were for over 300 downloads in less than 6 hours (of only the large version, and an unknown amount of small version downloads which was housed on an undocumented server). It was know this number was greatly under exaggerated as it only accounted for one of the mirrors, and due to the mass amounts of re-mirroring (over 10 in the first day that were known of). Based on data collected the total number of downloads in the first 3 hours has been estimated to well over 3,000 downloads. Estimates to the total visits is unknown due to massive re-posting on undocumented servers to deal with the unexpected popularity. The first video still receives a stream of hits, although the massive amounts seen initially have decreased.
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