I dumped more than a few old backups over the past couple of weeks, to fascinating results.
Much to my amazement, I kept a fair amount of source code from the past couple of decades, and it was fun (if occasionally embarrassing) to look at the hundreds of personal projects I dabbled in, from little hacks and scripts to entire desktop apps (none of which even run anymore, unless I can bother to set up a VM for them).
The awesome thing was that after hitting a set of densely packed folders with college coursework, I came across a “Sinclair” folder… I have absolutely no idea how I managed to convert some of those assembly files across (I suppose the older bits were migrated by way of CP/M on the +3), but it was then that I decided to try to summarize the whole thing in some fashion.
For your amusement, here’s a more-or-less complete tally of what programming languages I was into over the years:
Update: Come April 2018, I decided to tack on the post-2013 years.
Year (est.) | Languages | Platforms |
---|---|---|
2018 | (Very little) C#, a lot of Python and JavaScript, a fair amount of Java, some regrettable moments with PHP on Windows, a fair amount of fun with Lua and C/C++ on IoT devices, some R again. | Windows (obviously) in Azure services, a lot of Linux, some ARM64, a bunch of tiny ARM devices, Xamarin. |
2017 | ||
2016 | A return to LISP via Clojure, a few deep dives into Go and Erlang, yet more Python and JavaScript | Mostly Linux and ARM devices, a lot less iOS. |
2015 | ||
2014 | ||
2013 | ||
2012 | A lot more Python and JavaScript, a little more Java, a little raw C, some Objective-C, some Ruby, a little Lua, a fair amount of R. | Macs, some Linux boxes and a plethora of ARM and mobile devices (Android, iOS, Linux). |
2011 | ||
2010 | ||
2009 | ||
2008 | Python (including PyObjC), JavaScript, a lot less "big iron" Java and Perl, as little PHP as humanly possible, some C++ and Erlang. | Macs and assorted ARM devices. A few Linux machines, the dawn of Android apps, some Qt and LiMo, Ericsson networking gear. |
2007 | ||
2006 | ||
2005 | ||
2004 | ||
2003 | ||
2002 | Loads and loads of Perl and PHP, very little JavaScript, some C. | Mostly Macs. |
2001 | ||
2000 | A bunch of Linux and Windows PCs, some Sun Microsystems boxes. | |
1999 | ||
1998 | ||
1997 | Java (I had faith). Some C++, some Perl. | |
1996 | ||
1995 | ||
1994 | MPW, more 680×0 stuff, Object Pascal, Objective-C, C++ (mostly Microsoft MFC), a bunch of LISP, some Prolog, some Perl. | A bunch of 680x0 Macs, VMS and UNIX gear, my beloved NeXTCube. |
1993 | ||
1992 | ||
1991 | ||
1990 | X86 assembly, Turbo Pascal, a little C (there was even a copy of the "Brief" text editor involved...) | A few PCs, some 68k Macs |
1989 | ||
1988 | ||
1987 | ||
1986 | 680×0 assembly, Pascal | A Sinclar QL and an Atari ST |
1985 | ||
1984 | ||
1983 | BASIC, Z80 assembly | Sinclair ZX81, Spectrum 48K (later +3) |
1982 | ||
1981 |
(Some dates are approximate, and could even be wrong since I had to believe the archive dates…)