We've Lost the Joy of Seeing Tech for the First Time
16 Aug 2025 #codingThe other day, I shared my story of how I met my first computer on dev.to. It resonated with at least a dozen people. From the 1 KB RAM computer story to the grassy hill wallpaper of Windows XP.
All comments had something in common: Seeing a computer for the first time was like a magical moment. For many, changing letters on a screen felt magical 10 or 20 years ago.
Most of us ended up choosing programming because of the mystery and magic of seeing computers for the first time.
Maybe my first encounter with a computer wasn’t that magical. I didn’t know then I’d work with with computers. But I narrowed down all my options until a computer-related one was left. I owe it to my STEM classes and having a computer at home, a luxury for universities and big firms back then.
These days, computers are everyday tools we barely notice. That magic has faded away.