How long have you been using a computer?

Since 1982, can’t believe it’s nearly 40 years. I learnt computer programming as part of my Maths/Education degree in the late 70s. In the early 80s computers were introduced into schools, Commodore Pets, students were taught to program in BASIC. For about 6 years I taught Computer Studies & Computer Science then I went back to teaching Maths.
Personally I had a Sinclair Spectrum, followed by a Commodore 64, then I moved on to Macs & have owned Macs ever since (desktop, IPad, IPhone & IPods).
Lots of these posts have revived memories - floppy discs, Pascal, FORTRAN etc, all so dated now.
As for punched cards, when I did my teaching practice at a sixth form college, the students had to put their programs onto punched cards they were then taken to the nearby Leicester Polytechnic with the results coming back a week later. It certainly made the students check their programs thoroughly.
Amazing how things have changed over the years.

ElderlyPerson

Over 53 years.

I started using Algol 60 on an Elliott 803B. computer

Wow! Just googled this model to see what it looked like. They think only 211 were built!

I was programming an ICL 1901a in 1969 in a commercial environment and used them pretty much ever since in various forms. So over 50 years for me.

Over 35 years, add to that, time with computer games before that. The first actual computer I worked with was a BBC. I use it in work a lot.
Like others on here I have taught older people to use their PC, laptop and devices. It really depends what they ask for help with.

In the early 1970s I worked at The Meteorological Office and did an assignment in The Computer Room on night shifts .
I was directed by a VDU to change heavy stacks of dinner-plate sized hard drives during the course of the night .
They were housed in huge glass fronted cabinets and there were dozens of them in rows . The room was really cold and no food or drink allowed anywhere near .

Over forty years. Binary punch tape computers were introduced in my civil service department, there was a room built to house it.

When we first bought a home computer it was installed and set up by a computer engineer.

Must be about 25 years when I first used my daughters redundant Apple, then my BIL's Amstrad, it was in 1999 I bought my own to go on the internet. I had just started doing complementary therapies, so got a web-site for it - a bit too early because none of my friends had computers. Couldn't get my DDs to go on-line, those were the days when you actually used the telephone line to go on-line. My computer (Gateway) was forever picking up viruses, so I was forever on the help-line until I knew how to deal with them myself. I remember someone telling me about the coming of Broadband. I told one of the technicians I often spoke to - "That will never happen" he said!!
The rest is history

I remember there was a big shout out for main frame programmers as the year 2000 approached, everyone was panicking the existing systems weren’t robust enough to cope.

Maywalk I usually use Zoom now, but agree that FaceTime is very good for keeping in touch. I’m a recently retired software developer and there have been incredible developments in tech since I started writing code for a mainframe many years ago.

Since about 1981 when we settled permanently after much military meandering. I did a business studies course at college which involved using computers, some programming, and book-keeping software, but in my first job in a building society everything was done manually! Only the back office was computerised. DH bought an Amstrad computer in the mid eighties which both we and the children learned to use and later we invested in good laptops. Later in my working life, everything was done on computers running Windows and I have been very au fe with every version of Windows since - until I was lured away for years by Apple! Now I am a lost soul adrift in the Windows 10 wilderness!

I did some evening classes in programme writing back in the 70’s, so quite a few years, I guess. My boys had games machines back in the day then we got a home computer in the mid-90’s.

Longer than I care to remember. The first one I used, filled a whole room and had punch tape, which people used to use as confetti, until they foound out it caused lung problems. The room that held the computer was affectionately called "the Music Room". I worked for a builder at the time and every week we would run the payroll and sure as eggs is eggs someone had to stay all night!

In the olden days, in the office.
It was only a very small part of the job, then.
This was in the early 80s.
I didn't like it then, and I still don't.

Over 53 years.

I started using Algol 60 on an Elliott 803B. computer

I used VDUs attached to giant, room-filling main frame computers in the 1970s.

I had a home computer from the 1980s, I guess. I know they ran off a cassette player, and I remember when Icons were introduced - I couldn't see the point, it was easy enough to type <Run>

Have always been a huge fan.

I've used them since they were introduced in schools. I learned to email because one child did a year in the States when at uni and then Facetime when one lived in the East, my first view of their children was via Facetime. They live hundreds of miles from me so still use it.
I also do a lot of online shopping as there are so few shops left in our little town and city.

NotSpaghetti

Callistemon I think the very first Amstrad, the CPC 464 came out in 1984.

Ok, thanks, I couldn't remember the exact date but I know it was before 1985 and it was 2nd hand then because a new version had come out (we've still got it somewhere)

Since 1991 I had just had my DD I separated and went to my old school which is now a college to do exams. In between terms I went in to teach myself how to use a computer.

It looks as though a lot of us have been using computers of one sort or another for some time. Do you think this affects the overall demographics of Gransnetters? Do you think we can draw anything from this?

Callistemon I think the very first Amstrad, the CPC 464 came out in 1984.

I started my first degree in computer science in 1976 and had my first IBM machine at home in 1990 .

Cant imagine my life without now.

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?

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!

40 years

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