How long have you been using a computer?

43 years, it became my career

Over thirty years, it became a big part of my teaching career, when I became a Masterclasser for the Local Authority, supporting other teachers.

Almost 40 years.

Do you do Facetime too Blossoming and Marydoll. ?
I think its a wonderful way of seeing your family even if you cant have a hug.

I use WhatsApp and Zoom to talk to my family, Maywalk..During lockdown, both my grandaughter and I were sheilding, so I taught her by Zoom every day. Her teacher couldn't believe how well she knew her Jolly Phonics, when she hadn't been at school!

Almost 40 years. I have taught basic IT skills in the community to retired folk as well as in the classroom to younger folk. My ten year old’s an absolute IT whizz! Far better than I. And she still retains the ability to have a conversation!!

Yes technology really is a wonderful thing if used sensibly.

40 years, joined IBM in 1981.

I agree with Maywalk, my grandchildren and great grandchildren live in Essex or Reading, FaceTime is such a help seeing them growing up and consoles me because I live in a flat in Plymouth and others living here have regular visits from their younger relatives. At times I feel jealous but I thank my lucky stars for good old FaceTime.

39 years. I had a brief spell of using BBC computers produced by Acorn computers. Then moved onto Apple Macintosh the same year because the university where I studied for my B.Ed were promoting these in Derbyshire schools. I've stayed with Apple ever since. They've been an integral part of my career and interest ever since.

Maywalk When I retired, I did voluntary work teaching 60+ on how to use their laptops. They've loved someone their age teaching them. Most had gone through courses with tutors young enough to be their grandchildren. The 6 two hour sessions were brilliant fun. One couple wanted to talk to their daughter in Australia. In those days it was Skype. They achieved their wish and arrived on their last day with a huge plant for my garden as a thank you.

About 36 years I reckon as I was writing Pascal on a computer at Napier College before we left Edinburgh in 1986. Its main campus is now near where we used to live but back then I was cycling into Edinburgh to use their computers.

Since our eldest son was 10 or so. We felt we had to get one for the children and just learnt as we, and they, went along.

Nearly 50 years. So fairly familiar with them! But the speed at which they are developing is fast and the apps so varied it's still occasionally hard to keep up.

I started working with computers 35 years ago, moving into a career in health informatics in 1993. Now a chartered IT Professional, but I agree that the pace of change is incredible, and keeping up with new developments not always easy. Encouraging to see so many well qualified people on here!

I had an evening job working on computerised horseracing form when my youngest was a baby, so 36 years ago.

42 years ago I learnt to program in Fortran! And a few years before that, it was the punch cards on the travelling computer that came round to our school once a year

I use computers all the time and I used them all the time at work, but I don't have the techie skills that many people here have.

Since 1978, when I worked in tech support for mainframes for ICL in the Middle East.

alchemilla

Nearly 50 years. So fairly familiar with them! But the speed at which they are developing is fast and the apps so varied it's still occasionally hard to keep up.

I agree

The first computers filled a large room; I started a short course in COBOL in the 1960s but didn't enjoy it very much - perhaps I should have persevered.

We had an Amstrad for DC to play games in the early 1980s; it was tape driven and took 20 minutes to load! It was secondhand even then.

I'm not keen on using my phone for everything, Maywalk, I do prefer a larger screen.

Since the early 1980s, mostly for teaching but also for personal use. Then I ran a printing company so used typesetting and CAD programs, before going back to uni and needing to learn GIS as well as doing all my work on a computer.

Since the mid ‘80s through work and what a godsend they have been! I don’t need to sing their praise on here as we all are ‘computer literate’. Those of us who have family abroad or even in the UK will know how invaluable they are, especially during the past 18 months. Couldn’t manage without now.

Nearly 17 years, my husband bought me a laptop for Christmas, I was 61.

40 years

We first owned one at home in the early 1980s. I think 1983? It was a toss-up between a second hand Xerox Apricot computer and a new electric typewriter.
Everything was dos. Its "word" programme was "peachtext" and you saved onto the big old (genuinely) floppy disc. 8½ inches I think. The operating system was also on a floppy. We still have it in a bedding box in the study... but not the old daisywheel printer which was the size of a chest of drawers!

alchemilla

Nearly 50 years. So fairly familiar with them! But the speed at which they are developing is fast and the apps so varied it's still occasionally hard to keep up.

That's fantastic! What were you running then? I'm assuming it was for work?