The Nostalgia of 90s Programming: A Former Perspective and Its Lessons

Today's technology and programming environment are vastly different from what they were in the 90s. Many programmers, myself included, have a certain nostalgia for the era of coding during the 90s, when programming required more creativity, ingenuity, and dedication. In this article, we will explore the pleasures and pains of programming in the 90s and how it compares to contemporary programming practices.

Do You Miss the Programming of the 90s?

Many of us undoubtedly miss the programming of the 90s. While it was simpler from a technical standpoint, the task was often more complex. We had to be a lot more creative due to various limitations, and open-source libraries weren't as readily available as they are today. This required us to write everything from scratch, even for simple implementations of needed functions outside of the standard libraries. Today, a quick Google search can typically yield a GitHub repository with a library that does exactly what you need.

Today's Programmer: Dreaming of Simplicity

Many programmers today might be considered "lazier" in a sense, but it's largely due to the ease of access to pre-made libraries and the current advanced state of hardware and software optimization. Computers are incredibly fast, have a lot of memory, and compilers are highly sophisticated. As a result, programmers don't often need to worry too much about extreme optimization for most programs. This might be seen as laziness, but it also reflects a shift in priorities. Simplicity and ease of development are highly valued in modern programming as well.

Reflections on Earlier Eras of Programming

Beyond the 90s, it's worth acknowledging that even earlier eras like the 80s, 60s, and 70s were full of their own challenges and treasures. The 80s required genuine knowledge and skill, not just the ability to follow pre-existing instructions. This was a period when you really needed to understand how things worked behind the scenes. Now, with so much readily available information and resources, many can create functioning programs without deep knowledge or understanding.

The 60s and 70s were known for their astonishing performance, particularly with systems like the S/360 TRT instruction and the DEC PDP/11 DMA I/O. In those days, squeezing performance out of computers was a true art form, and the languages and systems were designed to optimize performance. This era was also marked by a genuine passion for programming that wasn't purely driven by capitalism. However, as with many things that gain too much popularity, programming has become inundated with frameworks and the quest for easy solutions at the expense of real understanding.

Why We Miss the Good Old Days

Sadly, the decline in programming knowledge and dedication is evident even now. Farm servers are used for tasks that could be handled by simpler computers, and modern "programmers" often treat powerful computers as if they were slow due to a lack of understanding of how to optimize resource use. This is likely because they rely on frameworks instead of building their own solutions. Though modern computers are incredibly powerful and resource-rich, this has led to inefficiencies and a waste of resources.

In contrast, the 90s, and even earlier eras like the 60s, were marked by a true enjoyment of coding and optimization. Nowadays, the challenge isn't so much about writing functional code as it is about writing code that doesn't waste resources. The current state of affairs, where complex games and applications demand 2GHz, 4GB, and 64-bit systems, is astounding. It's a clear sign that we are moving away from a era of efficient, resource-conscious programming toward one of resource-abuse.

Conclusion

To me, the best way to program is still with the understanding that you are the framework, not the other way around. The era of 90s programming was an art form where we had to be both creative and resource-conscious. While modern tools and resources make development easier and more accessible, they come with a cost in terms of resource waste.

As we continue to move forward, it's essential to remember the lessons of the past and strive for a balance between efficiency and ease of development. In this way, we can ensure that our technology remains both powerful and sustainable.

Keywords: programming nostalgia, 90s programming, modern programming