Why I Am a Programmer

In a pre-mainstream Internet world, the author, Denthor of ASPHYXIA, grew up with only a handful of children in their primary school having access to a computer. Despite living in a rough neighborhood where having a computer made them a target for robbery, the group formed a digital posse to share their newfound resource. The group spent their childhood playing pirated games, but their true passion lay in creating them.

A few years later, when the author acquired a modem, they discovered The Australian BBS Listing, which connected them to the digital underground. This new world exposed them to cracktros, the predecessors of demos, which were brazen posters showcasing how game copy protection codes were cracked and the games were distributed illegally.

The author was drawn to these demos as they felt like an out of body experience, overwhelming their senses and leaving them unsure whether what they saw was real or imagined. After stumbling upon a file called TUT1-9.ZIP with an enticing FILE_ID.DIZ, the author began learning how to code demo-like effects, eventually realizing their desire was not just to play demos but to create them.

Determined to become a programmer, the author set out to learn the necessary skills, eager to bring their unique vision to life.