So for my 10th birthday, after all of the loving computer stuff, my parents did two things.  First, they took me to see War Games.  Second, they bought me a TI-99/4a computer.  The TI was no Apple but it was what I had and I loved it.  In fact, I had my TI for 8+ years and after the market fell and they went out of business with it, I continued to pick up items for it.  First was the Expansion System so I could get a disk drive with it.  When I kept taking classes, even into Highschool with Apple IIe computers.

Once I got into high school, I even picked up an 8088 PC system.  This is I think where my real frustration began.  Every time I wanted to do something, I had buy or add something.  Want sound?  Add a card.  Want graphics? Add a card.  Want a mouse?  Add a card, add a mouse, get some Windows.  It was a constant effort to add more.  Mind you, I was in school and new a lot more about systems, building them, working on them and so on then most adults.  My parents really loved the phone bills I ran up with my first modem too!  🙂