I went to school and learned very little of value. Along the way, I did manage to learn to program computers. Since my family didn't really have any money, Jason Gyll had to settle for a work study gig with the Lozenge Corporation, here in town, and some classes at the local junior college.
The only reason that I even got a work study gig was that the Lozenge Corporation had a government contract to work on a really weird computer.
There was no future for the programmer who worked on the really weird new computer. So, 'the kid,' got the assignment.
There appeared to be no documentation with the really weird new computer and there were no marks anywhere on the hardware. Well, almost no marks. The computer console had a slightly raised line over a 32 bit display. There were some words over sections of the line. Well, maybe they were words. The letters were unlike any thing that I have ever seen before. There was one nine bit section and one four bit section.
I decide that the nine bit sections might be where the instruction codes are located. After a bit of bumbling on my part I discover that the numbers in the nine bit section and the four bit section are in left to right form, instead of the usual right to left form for numeric values.
My clever plan is to try to put maybe instruction codes in the nine bit section and see if I can get the computer to execute an instruction.
The computer has an even more clever plan. The computer tries to tell me what the computer codes are for the instruction repertoire of the computer. The computer doesn't speak English and I don't speak whatever language the computer uses. However, the computer doesn't speak to me in words. The computer transfers information inside my head.
If the transfer of computer information inside my head isn't weird enough, I can also transfer information from inside my head back to the computer.
The computer and I transfer information back and forth, but mainly information about computer operation.
By the end of the week, I can do a computer register add and store the result of the add into computer storage. I am documenting each thing that I learn. I would have reported the things that I learned, but I am not permitted into meetings. I do prepare a weekly report. but I doubt that anyone reads my weekly report.
The computer and I transfer information back and forth, mainly information about computer operation. At the end of a hard working day, my head aches. However, the computer also wants to get my blubber butt into shape. (Over time, I find that the computer is a military computer and the concern with my physical development is apparently something that a military computer would be interested in.)
During the days, I work my mind. During the evenings, I work my body.
By the end of several weeks, I can do quite a few a computer register instructions and even a few memory reference instructions. The computer does not have an input/output device and I can't print the results of my calculations. I ask for an input/output device but I don't even get replies to my requests. I'm documenting each thing that I learn and I would have reported the things that I learned, but I am not permitted into meetings. I continue to prepare a weekly report. but I doubt that anyone reads my weekly reports.
My anonymous computer work keeps me busy and learning things.
My evening workouts have begin to transform me into a muscular fighting stud. My computer work is anonymous, but my physical workouts begin to get me noticed at the gym.
I started buying my lunch at the company cafeteria. Now, I buy food at the farmer's market and cook my workout meals in a crockpot...