Childhood Computing

Work-in-Progress. After reading Childhood Computing by Susam Pal, I decided it’s time to recollect and write about my childhood computing. It will not be as interesting as them, but I want to have it for the archives so future-me can read and have fun. Let’s start with a confession. I was no longer a child by then, but I still like to remember that as my childhood computing. In our small town, our school was among those that introduced computers early. It was introduced as part of an optional curriculum in the ’90s. We had to pay ₹50 each month to be part of the computer class. It changed my life. For our class, there were just about five computers, and we were too many. So, I started a revolt that computers were useless for school, and hampered our study for the upcoming 10th exam. Everyone signed the letter that I wrote to the principal, and he agreed to let only those who wanted to stay behind and join the classes. Almost everyone decided to withdraw. A few of my friends and I…