I started out in high school on a slightly out-of-date Commodore SuperPET 9000. It was apparently one of the best computers for that type of use because it was the only widely available low-cost computer that allowed users to run programs directly in Pascal without using a compiler.
Those of us who are old remember the TRS-80 model 3.
my self and my trusty girl Friday were able to magnify the capabilities of my very small company beyond the reach of our competitors.
They scoffed and we did the seemingly impossible. It was just a miracle. I bought a PC clone when one came available and it was another quantum leap.