[BXLE_1-1-BitIs1]

"The people writing COBOL and FORTRAN on mainframes - I got my start writing C and FORTRAN on DEC VAX and Stratus VOS mainframes - didn’t speak about the joys of programming. They clocked in, clocked out and went on about their lives."

FORTRAN was my first language in the 60s and I ENJOYED using it until "better" languages came along.

I debugged COBOL and once taught SQL to COBOL programmers while refusing to write anything in it.

I had my best fun with mainframe Assembler and CMS Pipelines.

[raw_anon_1111]

I’m 100% sure that your passion didn’t come from growing up with computers in your home and hanging out with other computer nerds like the parent poster said. You also didn’t go home after work doing side projects on your home computer or contributing to open source.

By definition, before the late 70s, you had to leave your job at work and didn’t code on your free time unless you went into the office.

[BXLE_1-1-BitIs1]

There were times I took a dial up terminal home. Before that in university, we had to punch our own card decks.

I didn't need to be at the office to write programs. All I need is a pad of paper (with maybe a few manuals) and a nice place where I can concentrate without interruptions.