How Anders Hejlsberg learned to code in the 70s
Summary
Anders Hejlsberg, the creator of C#, learned to code on an 8-bit micro with just 64KB of memory in the 1970s. His early experience with structured programming and assembly language provided a strong foundation for his future career as a pioneering software engineer.
Key Takeaways
- Building your own kit computer in the 1970s was a powerful way to learn programming and develop technical skills.
- Mastering structured programming and assembly language on limited hardware (64KB) teaches valuable coding discipline and problem-solving.
- Keeping an entire program in your head is a skill that becomes increasingly rare as software complexity grows, but it can provide unique insights.
- Early access to computers and programming was a significant advantage, even in the 1970s, highlighting the importance of STEM education.
- Turning a hobby into a career, as Hejlsberg did, demonstrates the value of pursuing your passion and developing deep technical expertise.
- Hejlsberg's early experience with limited resources shaped his approach to designing efficient and practical programming languages like C#.
Related topics
Transcript Excerpt
My first exposure to computing was probably in high school and I was fortunate enough to go to a high school that offered students access to a computer and this is like we're talking the late '7s here and this was not a common thing and I got very interested in the programming aspect and then I decided uh when you know these 8-bit micros were starting to come out that I wanted to build my own kit computer then I started writing a lot of software for that thing and I turned out to be pretty good at it and so [laughter] >> I'd say and I really enjoyed it. Honestly, you know, I had no problem doing structured programming and assembly and and of course you have to realize too that I mean with 64K of memory, there's only so much you can squeeze in and you got to leave something over for the use…