I started on an Apple II, which I had bought at the very end of 1978 for half of my annual income. I made $4,500 a year, and I spent half of it on the computer.
It always helps to be a good programmer. It is important to like computers and to be able to think of things people would want to do with their computers.
Even though Raster Blaster was only a video game, I was learning about designing stuff. I got good at drawing.