This video below is what the word "inspirational" was made for. My parents gave me my first computer at around age 11 or 12 (a Dick Smith VZ-200), and it literally changed my life. The first "real" program I remember writing was a 2-player version of the Snakes game, written in Basic. (My sister and I would crowd around the keyboard to play together.) After I upgraded to a Commodore 64, I spent hours reverse engineering the music engine in Monty on the Run and dozens of other games so that I could listen to my favourite Rob Hubbard chiptunes in my own personal jukebox. When I couldn't get access to a Tetris arcade cabinet, I taught myself 6502 assembly so I could write my own version (although oddly, the part I was proudest of was the high-score entry screen). I guess none of this was exactly practical, but it without question inspired my curiosity, developed my problem solving skills, gave me a hobby and a social network, and got me where I am today. So please share the video below and encourage other kids to code:
Also a big shout-out to my friend Jamie, the teacher featured towards the end of the video — an inspiration in his own right.
Have a great weekend -- and why not spend it teaching kids to code?
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