musings

Sometimes people ask me why I like computers so much and why I spend so much time learning about programming them? If this question is asked of anyone, almost all the answers would somehow be tied to the uses of these amazing machines and the way they have made our lives easy and connected. That may well be true, but the truth for me is the answer that I don’t give. When I’m asked, I just shrug and smile and stay silent.

During my early childhood, whenever I would be given a toy, I would play with it for just a while - a couple hours at most. Then my curiousity would get the better of me and I would run outside to that small spot in the side alley of my home and take the small rock that was always there and break open the toy to look inside. I always enjoyed learning the internals of these small trinkets more than playing with them as regular children do.

As time went on, I moved on from using rocks to using screwdrivers to neatly open and sometimes even close back the things as I would change some things and see what result it produced. It may seem of no particular consequence but through time I realized why I was so much interested in doing this to my toys despite the numerous scoldings I got after the newest toy would be in pieces before me.

It turns out that I have always dreamed and wanted to believe that the makers of these tiny things had built some secret features into them which could only be unlocked in some specific ways. I guess what I want to say is that I always wanted more than what met the eye. As time passed, I realized that they would never do anything like that as they could just advertise these features which would help them grab more money and hence, in their businesses, be successful. So I moved on.

I started breaking things, but now, used the parts in making small machines and bots of my own. But I was again limited by the things and resources I had available.

Then came computers.

With computers, having the power to program them gives anyone full access to the limitless potential that I’ve only dreamed about. These little machines are truly made to have so many secret features, so much potential that we have literally reformed our complete lives around them. Every single industry, every single culture and economy has reformed itself to fit into the wonders achievable.

There is no limit of resources. All you need is a computer, and the willingness to learn the language and the possibilities are endless. Truly endless.