And I can remember my computer programming instructor back in 1974 telling us that my TI hand held calculator will be the only computer I will ever need..........
Yup. I learned programming on a Univac 1100 half word machine, including BAL, Cobol and RPG. Landed my first computer job right after graduation in Jan 73. It was on an IBM/360 card machine and my first programming task was a BAL application. Luckily for me, the Univac training was perfect preparation for the job and all went well. Later converted to IBM System/3 and RPG II, then also took on BTI (Basic Timing Sharing, Inc., based on HP mini-computer technology), then PDP 11 (RSTS and Basic Plus), followed by VAX/VMX. Was producing and distributing VAX systems when I was introduced to the Internet world by my son and fellow programmer (John) around 1994/95 timeframe. Developed (hacked together) the original FR forum software in 1996.
We were developing agricultural accounting applications in the latter seventies on BTI timesharing computers when we first encountered a thing called “micro-computer.” One of the programmers in my department purchased one and formed a competing company, but PCs came shortly after and even though we mocked them as toys at the time, they eventually put us both out of business.
Never got very interested in the TI handhelds, but several of the programmers I worked with got very involved with building their own “home computers” from kits before the PC came out. Lots of exciting developments in those days. We even had micro computer stores and clubs. Crazy fad would never catch on.