I learned programming in Fall 1961 from Forman Acton at Princeton. Programmed IBM 601 in Bell I, IBM 1620 in Fortran II. First job was summer 1962 at Bolt, Beranek, and Newman programming the PDP-1 in assembly. Never stopped working as a programmer. Main language now is Python. I am machine learning architect at Sigma Labs Inc. I am 80 and I played NIM on a computer built to do ballistics in 1947 at Maxon Corporation.
Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
501–510 of 555 posts
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#502In September 1961, I learned programming from Forman Acton at Princeton. Programmed IBM 601 in Bell I, IBM 1620 and IBM 709 in Fortran II, Algol, COBOL, assembly. First job was July 1962 at Bolt, Beranek, and Newman programming DEC PDP-1 in assembly. Never stopped working as a programmer. Currently programming Linux computers mostly in Python. I am machine learning architect for Sigma Labs, Inc. I am 80. I played NIM in 1947 on the front panel of a ballistics computer at Maxon Corporation.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#503Earlier quoted context omitted.
This sounds like absolute hell to me
I had ultimate and total freedom to do exactly what I wanted. If that’s not heaven I don’t know what is.
"I had ultimate and total freedom to do exactly what I wanted"
That does sound like heaven. Watching TV all day does not.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#504I am 80 years old and still working full time in IT. Although I evolved from pure programming to project management and business analysis the past few years. Originally started out working at Cape Canaveral as a radar and telemetry engineer and moved into programming after I left there. Whenever I interview, I completely ignore the age issue. If the interviewer is to dumb to recognize the value of my knowledge and ex…
>I am 80 years old and still working full time in IT.
Serious question. Why? I love coding; I'll probably code as long as I live, but I can't imagine tying myself down to a full time job beyond the point where I need the money.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#505Not looking to compete for the crown, but I have been involved with software development on and off since 1970. I started college in 1969, and really loved my liberal arts and social science courses, but began having panic attacks in class (I found out many years later that I was bipolar). My hail Mary move was switching majors to 'Business Data Processing'. My thought being that programming would give me a salable s…
Very impressive experience.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#506Earlier quoted context omitted.
Took an interesting course on aging and the brain. Everyone suffers some degree of cognitive decline but it can vary wildly based on a number of circumstances to an almost negligible extent for lucky people. A lot of it is out of your control but high performing people who keep engaging their mind can compensate better for decline. It’s also why leaving your job or moving to a place with less activity can accelerate…
interesting, did they talk about the topics of nootropics and atherosclerosis in this class?
Yes to atherosclerosis, not too much about nootropics. It's a fantastic course, available from the Stanford school of continuing studies. It was a two full days weekend seminar taught by a neuropsychologist who works at the Stanford Hospital. I'm not an alumni and anyone can register for these course so I really, really recommend it!
I'm a young guy (31) but the class was so cool. People from ages 25 to 90 year old Stanford alum.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#507An interview with you would be fantastic.
Do any of the computer museums do that?
My mom used to interview people, mostly seniors, to capture oral traditions, get first hand accounts. I think the process she used was called "oral history". A simple format that any one could use to do their own interviews. She was long time volunteer for our local Swede-Finn historical org. She figured out how to do this once her parent's friends started passing away.
A friend played fiddle and was really into Americana. Most of the musicians were 70+. When they passed, all their lore and many of their songs were lost. So she started recording her friends and capturing their bios, life stories, stories about the music. She self-published a book and cassette combo. Two volumes, IIRC.
Just two examples of what I'm suggesting.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#508I am 80 years old and still working full time in IT. Although I evolved from pure programming to project management and business analysis the past few years. Originally started out working at Cape Canaveral as a radar and telemetry engineer and moved into programming after I left there. Whenever I interview, I completely ignore the age issue. If the interviewer is to dumb to recognize the value of my knowledge and ex…
>I am 80 years old and still working full time in IT. Serious question. Why? I love coding; I'll probably code as long as I live, but I can't imagine tying myself down to a full time job beyond the point where I need the money.
Some people just enjoy their job. I know several engineers who retired, only to return after a hiatus because they missed working with a team on something they were good at and passionate about. Work isn't always about money.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#509Earlier quoted context omitted.
>I am 80 years old and still working full time in IT. Serious question. Why? I love coding; I'll probably code as long as I live, but I can't imagine tying myself down to a full time job beyond the point where I need the money.
Some people just enjoy their job. I know several engineers who retired, only to return after a hiatus because they missed working with a team on something they were good at and passionate about. Work isn't always about money.
Right, I can understand why someone might wish to work part time even if they didn't really need the money, but I don't see myself working full time beyond the point where I am fully financially independent from needing to.
Re: Ask HN: Am I the longest-serving programmer – 57 years and counting?
#510Earlier quoted context omitted.
I did my Master’s part-time at DePaul University with almost all of the program online while I was working. They have an AI track but I am not sure how good it is.
I did a part-time PhD there. Took ten years but I had a very supportive advisor and managed to finish it working a day a week on it. You get out of it what you put in. They have good teachers but if you do it remotely it's on you to do a lot of self directed learning, for the PhD anyways. I now work as a researcher for a large e-commerce company. As part of the program we take Masters courses in ML and AI and they we…
How did you find your advisor? Are/were you in the Chicago area while doing your PhD? Did the fact you were doing it part-time require you to pay a tuition?