Michael Morrison: The Commodore 64 and JavaScript
By Caitrin McCullough
Here is the next installment from Head First JavaScript author Michael Morrison. Enjoy!
A few weeks ago Head First team member Keith McNamara blogged about the 25th anniversary of the Commodore 64 computer. And it got me thinking about my own history with the computer, how it shaped my future in technology, and how it affected my ability to learn about technology. I'm part of a generation of computer tinkerers who learned how to program computers thanks to the Commodore 64 and the BASIC programming language. And now, 25 years later, a new generation of explorers will learn how to program computers thanks to JavaScript.
Certainly there are tons of options now days for someone to get their feet wet with programming, including BASIC, but JavaScript is particularly compelling because of its intimate connection to the Web.
Getting back to the Commodore 64 and its role in learning about programming, the issue was accessibility. Although the Apple IIe computer was undoubtedly the king back then, not all that many people could afford it, including yours truly. So we settled for what we could afford, which in most cases was the Commodore 64. And with a little ingenuity we made that computer do things people never thought possible.
In terms of accessibility, JavaScript is the modern equivalent of Commodore 64 BASIC programming, at least in my opinion. And that's because pretty much everyone has access to a web browser, so therefore everyone has the ability to become a JavaScript programmer. And like computer programming of old, JavaScript programs run immediately because they are interpreted - no compiling or otherwise messing around with special tools to convert your code into a format that can be run. Just save a text file, open it in a browser, and the script runs. Check out our Hands On JavaScript page if you're having trouble understanding how this is possible.
So the next time you hear about somebody restoring their Commodore 64 for a bit of nostalgia, remember that you could be unwittingly creating your very own nostalgia with JavaScript right now. Oh, here's a link to a bunch of those people celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Commodore 64.
Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the festivities...
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I loved my C64 when I was little... I just wished I understood it better so I could learn about computers a bit more. It always seemed like this mysterious device that played video games. Probably the thing I learned most was to run the command:
LOAD "*", 8, 1
or something like that.
Then I'd sit for hours and play Ultima V on a green mono-color monitor... good times!
Wow, I had forgotten what C64 BASIC looked like, but yes, that LOAD command is quite familiar! And now a nerd confession...I used to go into stores that had demo C64's setup and enter little programs to annoy people. In just a few lines you could repeat a message that would confound the guy in the electronics department. Nothing too offensive, but enough to confuse other customers.
If you think that's mean, how about turning off a stereo in a store and cranking up the volume knob? That one's always a winner. And yes, I ended up working in the electronics department of a major retailer years later, ultimately paying for my sins.
-mm