I was born in Hong Kong and I lived there until I was 12 years old. Around age of 8, 9, when I was in my 3rd, 4th grade, the school installed a computer lab and we had to take compute class every year. This was around 1999, early 2000. We learned the basics of Words (we loved playing with art work) and we also played with HTML using Dreamweaver. There was no SO and Yahoo was our primary search engine at the time, but we as kids didn't know anything about search engine. So the only way we learned was sitting in class mess around, and then go home and mess around more after downloading the free trials. Later I joined the school's newspaper club (I was the founding member) and we used Dreamweaver and Words to create newsletter. I enjoyed it.
I came to America and I was surprised by the poor computer literacy here, well, at least in my middle school. That was 2003. School were using Mac (first time, I have never seen one in HK, so I thought they were really cool looking), but the teachers would just teach us how to use the outdated Mac Word (whatever it was called back, Apple's own version). I think we did learn one or two lesson of basic HTML, but that was it. Computer class in my middle school was seen as a time break for students. Nothing exciting, teacher would just walk around and check if the student followed what she typed. I also had a single technology class in 9th grade and again teacher didn't care much and we just spent our time watching YouTube (yes, that's around 2005, 2006) or playing GTA on the computer.
I never took AP Computer Science, but I was already learning to use phpBB and started to do some light programming here and there. I don't know if I ever came across SO, but I know I used to just rely on Google search and look at either forums or blog posts. The rise of SO and convenience of Google search meant I didn't have to dig so deep on my own, but I enjoy learning the crust on my own whenever possible.
I am now 25. Although I can't do front-end development, I still believe I am a lucky person having exposed to a good CS education early on.
I came to America and I was surprised by the poor computer literacy here, well, at least in my middle school. That was 2003. School were using Mac (first time, I have never seen one in HK, so I thought they were really cool looking), but the teachers would just teach us how to use the outdated Mac Word (whatever it was called back, Apple's own version). I think we did learn one or two lesson of basic HTML, but that was it. Computer class in my middle school was seen as a time break for students. Nothing exciting, teacher would just walk around and check if the student followed what she typed. I also had a single technology class in 9th grade and again teacher didn't care much and we just spent our time watching YouTube (yes, that's around 2005, 2006) or playing GTA on the computer.
I never took AP Computer Science, but I was already learning to use phpBB and started to do some light programming here and there. I don't know if I ever came across SO, but I know I used to just rely on Google search and look at either forums or blog posts. The rise of SO and convenience of Google search meant I didn't have to dig so deep on my own, but I enjoy learning the crust on my own whenever possible.
I am now 25. Although I can't do front-end development, I still believe I am a lucky person having exposed to a good CS education early on.