Tod’s Early Computer Education

Friday, November 5th, 2004

Tod was quite a precocious child who showed an aptitude for computers the first time he got his hands on a device with a keyboard and a screen. I believe he was about 11 years old and the device was a hand-held computer of some sort, brought home from work by his dad. From that time on, we made every effort to present Tod with opportunities to explore this new and keen interest. Of course we bought him a TRS-80 which was well-used at the expense of most other activity, including homework.

One summer we sent him away to computer camp at a university campus. We got just one correspondence from him: a post card that stated, simply, “Dear Mom & Dad, Maureen (the little sister) and Sassy(the cockatiel), Having a great time. Today I learned how to hack into other people’s computers. Love, Tod” Tod has always managed to learn lessons not intended by his teachers.

And so it continues to this day…

Tod’s loving mom,

Jean McQuillin

By UltraJean at 01:05 AM Link to this post here!
4 comment s


  • on November 5th, 2004 01:37 AM UltraBob said:

    I’m just glad he’s used his powers (mostly) for good.  TRS-80, is that the Timex Sinclair?  I think I had one of those two, but maybe it was an 81.  Mom?

  • on November 6th, 2004 02:47 AM UltraMom said:

    UBob, It was a Timex Sinclair that my brother sent me for Christmas one year. I let you take it to your 4-H Computer Club meeting and you fried it! I haven’t quite forgiven you for that........ok yes I have.
    I’m just glad you didn’t break the Commodore 64. Now THAT’s what I call a computer! Great games like Reading Rabbit, 3-D Tetris and Where in the World is Carment Sandiego.
    Enjoying the stories.
    UltraMom

  • on November 10th, 2004 05:35 AM UltraBob said:

    I didn’t fry it!  We plugged it in and it went crappy.  Wasn’t my fault!!

  • on February 28th, 2005 09:18 PM Jim Poarch said:

    How well I remember Tod and his days in Mt.Zion