Started in the basement of Gonzaga University as a high school student walking fortran code like an acolyte to the imposing counter where the sys op would offer my deck to the big IBM 360. Final Judgement issued by its awesomely noisy lineprinter. Then cameTymshare and corporate scale bills. Early Apples were fun. Until finally, the well launched IBM PC was the Aah ha! moment. Life-changing with its informative light blue cloth bound three ringed Technical manual ( ASCII Code table so useful ) Keyboard floppy drive CRT and chips you understood and owned.
No Sys Op and his altar at the end of the florescent lit shiny well waxed linoleum underground corridor .
No singing Modem and Bills. A box with a power supply, motherboard, speaker, and optional cards ( 64 KB, color screen) that I showed off to my Aunt Mary and family. Fun looking back!