Vic20 Mischief: How a Teenage Prank Sparked My Interest in Programming

Hey there, fellow tech enthusiasts! Today, I want to take you on a nostalgic journey back to the 1980s when I was just a mischievous teenage boy armed with a Commodore Vic20 and an insatiable curiosity for all things tech. Back in those days, personal computers were still relatively new and exciting, and I couldn't resist the temptation to have a bit of fun with them.

Early experiences with computers like the Commodore Vic20 often sparked curiosity and creativity, leading many people into careers in software development.

Discovering the Vic20

Picture this: It was the '80s, and Commodore Vic20 computers were all the rage. You could find them in electronics stores like Dixons and even at unexpected places like Boots the Chemist. These computers were encased in metal display boxes, making them the perfect playground for a mischievous teen like me.

The Perfect Prank

The setup was simple but effective. I had committed a tiny BASIC program to memory – a program that would wreak havoc in the most harmless way possible. It was just about ten lines long, but it was enough to turn an innocent Vic20 into an instrument of chaos.

Here's how it worked:

1. I'd saunter into one of these stores and nonchalantly approach the Vic20 on display.
2. With the confidence of a tech-savvy teen, I'd quickly type in my carefully memorized program.
3. The program was designed to start a timer for about 60 seconds, and then crank up the volume to full blast.
4. After the countdown, the Vic20 would emit an annoying, high-pitched sound that could wake the dead.
5. The final twist: I programmed it to lock the keyboard. No matter what the frantic store staff pressed, they couldn't silence the alarm.
6. The only way out for them was to find the key, unlock the enclosure, and either remove the power supply or cycle the power to stop the commotion.

As soon as I hit the "RUN" command, I'd make a hasty exit, knowing that the Vic20 would play the siren-like alarm, causing chaos and confusion behind me.

Looking back, it's clear that my friends and I were quite the teenage troublemakers, finding endless entertainment in this tech prank. The alarm wasn't some sophisticated sound system; it was just a tiny speaker playing a simple, high-pitched note. But to our teenage ears, it was the epitome of hilarity.

Where It All Started

Little did I know at the time that these early experiments in programming and mischief would eventually lead me to a career as a software engineer. Those innocent days of Vic20 pranks were just the beginning of my journey into the fascinating world of technology.

In today's world of high-tech gadgets and complex software, it's easy to forget the simplicity and charm of those early computers. But it's important to remember that every tech enthusiast has a starting point, and for me, it was the mischievous adventures with a Commodore Vic20 that ignited my passion for all things tech.

Looking back, it wasn’t really about the prank. It was about understanding how systems worked, how small pieces of code could control behaviour, and how technology could be both powerful and unpredictable.

That curiosity is still the same today—it just shows up in very different ways.

So, there you have it – a trip down memory lane to my teenage days of Vic20 shenanigans. As a software engineer now, I can't help but smile at the thought of how far I've come from those innocent pranks. But hey, we all have our beginnings, and mine just happened to involve a mischievous little computer and a whole lot of curiosity.

We all start somewhere, and those early experiences often shape how we approach technology later on.

I spend a lot of time helping simplify systems and make them behave in predictable, reliable ways.

You can take a look at my TechFix service if that sounds useful.

Remembering “The Count” on the VIC-20: A Text Adventure Classic

Before games had graphics, they relied on something else—imagination.

One game that stayed with me was “The Count” on the VIC-20.

Do you remember playing games as a child, when everything felt larger than life and your imagination had no bounds? For me, one such game was "The Count" for the VIC-20, a text-based adventure game written by none other than Douglas Adams himself.

As an 11-year-old, I was immediately captivated by the game's premise of exploring a haunted castle, collecting treasures, and avoiding the notorious vampire Count Dracula. Even though the game had no graphics or sound, the story, and puzzles were engaging enough to keep me hooked for hours on end.

Now, years later, I still look back on "The Count" with fond memories of my childhood and the joy that video games brought me. 

Exploring the Castle

As a child playing "The Count" on the VIC-20, I remember being immediately drawn in by the game's text-based adventure format. The game took place in a haunted castle.

To this day I still have a mental map of the different rooms and the different artifacts you could collect.  I would sit with pen and paper making my own map and walk around the castle with commands "GO NORTH", "GO WEST" etc.  You could only enter two-word commands.  I remember in the kitchen there was Dumb-Waiter.  At the time I had no idea what a Dumb-waiter was.  There was no internet to google this at the time.  I assumed it was a waiter that could not speak.  By chance, after exhausting all options I said  "ENTER DUMB-WAITER" and all of a sudden the game had a whole new set of options.  You could "GO DOWN" and "GO UP".  down would take you to a workroom and down again would take you to the dungeon.

Without graphics, you had to build the world in your head. I would sit with pen and paper drawing maps and slowly working out how everything connected together.

Looking back, it probably shaped the way I still think about systems now.

Why It Stayed With Me

I have refreshed my memory on this as I found a VIC-20 emulator that runs on my Mac. After a hunt and a Google, I found and downloaded the software for "The Count". It took a while to figure out how to run the game.  But when I figured it out 1981 came flooding back.   I have been reliving my childhood again with this game.  I had forgotten that you have to complete the game within a number of commands.  If you use too many commands the sun goes down, you get tired and Dracula gets you and you wind up back in bed.

I've not got far enough but you find garlic to keep Dracula away, pills to stay awake, and matches to light a torch.  Oh and the Solar oven you can get into when the sun goes down.  Again I had no idea what a solar oven was.

Despite never completing the game, "The Count" has remained a nostalgic favorite of mine for years. As a child, it sparked my imagination and provided hours of entertainment, and as an adult, it's a reminder of simpler times when games were about exploration and discovery.

Looking back, what made games like this memorable wasn’t graphics or realism—it was exploration and imagination.

You had to experiment, map things out, and slowly build an understanding of how the world worked.

That way of thinking has stayed with me ever since.

Thinking about it now, I can see echoes of this style of exploration in Redcastle, a text-based adventure game I later created myself.

This also connects closely to my post on visual thinking and how I naturally build mental models of systems and spaces.

Understanding systems often starts with curiosity, exploration, and experimentation.

I spend a lot of time simplifying and understanding how systems fit together—whether technical or otherwise.

You can take a look at my TechFix service if that sounds useful.

The Commodore VIC-20: My First Computer

The Commodore VIC-20 wasn’t just my first computer—it was the thing that sparked my interest in computing, programming, and building things.

Looking back, a huge amount of what I still enjoy today probably started with that machine.

In the early 1980s, home computers were just starting to become popular, and the Commodore VIC-20 was one of the first affordable options. When I received a VIC-20 as a Christmas present from my parents, little did I know that it would become a significant influence on my life. That VIC-20 became my gateway to the world of computing and programming, and it eventually led me to pursue a career in software engineering.

Discovering Computing

The VIC-20 was a small, boxy computer that came with a built-in keyboard and 5 KB of RAM. Although its specs were modest, it was a versatile machine that could run a variety of software, from simple games to complex applications. The computer could be connected to a TV set or a dedicated monitor and used a cassette tape drive for loading and saving programs.

Learning to Program

When I first got my VIC-20, I was fascinated by its capabilities. I spent hours tinkering with it, typing in programs from magazines and experimenting with different commands. I learned BASIC programming on that computer, and I was amazed at how much I could do with just a few lines of code. I wrote simple games and educational programs.

What fascinated me most was the idea that you could create something from almost nothing—just a few lines of code could completely change what the computer did.

The Social Side of Early Computing

One of the most memorable aspects of the VIC-20 was its cassette tape drive. I spent countless hours recording games onto cassette tapes, carefully labeling them with their titles and descriptions. I also received tapes from friends and classmates, and we would swap them back and forth, trying out new games and programs. It was a social activity as much as a technical one, and it brought me closer to my peers.

Early home computing felt much more hands-on and communal than modern technology often does. People shared tapes, copied programs from magazines, and helped each other figure things out.

As I got older, I continued to use the skills I learn on the VIC-20. I learned more advanced programming concepts, such as graphics and sound programming, and I created more ambitious projects.

What Stayed With Me

Looking back, the VIC-20 was much more than just a computer.

It introduced me to programming, problem solving, creativity, and the idea that technology was something you could build and shape yourself rather than simply consume.

A surprising amount of the way I still think about systems and technology probably started there.

And to top it all I still have my VIC-20 still in its box. Although it is missing its power supply, video cable and tape deck now.

This connects closely to my post about LEGO Technic and engineering mindset, where I first became fascinated by how systems fit together.

It also links naturally to my reflections on visual thinking and how I mentally model systems and processes.

I later even created my own text adventure game called Redcastle, inspired by the kind of exploration and imagination these early computers encouraged.

Understanding technology often starts with curiosity and experimentation.

I still enjoy breaking systems down, understanding how they work, and simplifying technology where possible.

You can take a look at my TechFix service if that sounds useful.