Blog #1

I remember back in the days when computers existed only in schools in and libraries. Kindergarden class was where I received my first dose of experience. The only brand of computers around, or at least that I noticed, were these large, clunky, grey boxes with a rainbow-patterned Apple on the monitor. It was an incredible machine with its vibrant green text against the dark black screen. I think I typed a Mother's Day card.
The day soon came though when Dad brought home the family's first personal computer. I can't remember the name exactly, but it was old. Windows hadn't even surfaced yet. We had this program called "Alpha Gold" or something, and the thing ran something called MS-DOS. I remember going into the newly named "computer room" at home and hopping behind the large machine to boot it up. The screen would slowly come to and after a while a C:/ would appear on the first line of screen. Somehow I accessed the MS-DOS program, which looked about as intense as an old book-retrieving program at the library. The program would open up to a large scroll page that contained hundreds of names, some of which made sense, and all were followed by .exe. This was my first real experience with dealing with computers at a personal level. Well, as the time went by, my Dad began to stock the computer with programs, most of which being games. Card games, Tetris, KidPix, Treehouse, and a multitude of other available, and corny, kid games. One game though stuck out above the rest: Doom II. I can remember my dad only playing it at night, when us kids were going to bed. One night I was lying in my bed trying to go to sleep, when I heard these loud pops, “Pow, Pow, Pow.” These pops soon were followed by the sounds of people groaning; they sounded like they were dying. I got out of bed and snuck quietly behind the large, computer desk chair and watched what was to be one of the most violent scenes my eyes had ever witnessed. The screen showed monsters and zombies all pacing over a hellish background as my dad unloading shotgun shell after shell into them. Once I was found out, my dad angrily shooed me out of the room and back to bed, but this soon turned into a regular occasion, as I would sneak into the room as often as my dad played the game. After the MS-DOS days, my computer usage stayed about the same if not a bit less. My dad installed Windows 93, which I can remember being incredibly easier than our former operating system. Besides school projects and such though, I sort of stayed away from the computer world. Occasionally, I would buy a new game and play it for a few weeks or so, such as Need for Speed or Sim City, but computers weren’t as much of a grab as they were before. All of that changed once the internet arrived. A world was opened up before me that has grown to an almost impossible size since that first time online. Today, I’m honestly astonished and overjoyed by the amount of information and e-territory that I am able to cover. It is something that has truly grabbed my attention and fascinated me over the years, and I am highly looking forward into incorporating it into my academic and professional life.