I started in computing at work (Texas Instruments) in 1964.
I soon became fascinated by computers, both programming and hardware.

My son John was born in 1968.   
Around 1975, I was able to put together a Southwest Technical Products computer,
based on the Motorola 6809 UP.
The SWTPC 6809 used a cheapie audio tape recorder/player to load programs, and I
had a tape of a Basic interpreter for it.
I also had tapes for a 6809 assembler, so I was able to write my own programs. 

One of the influences back then was Dr. Dobbs "Running light without overbyte".
They published numerous articles about programming and hardware of the day.
They also published games written in Basic.
Now in those days there were a number of different versions of Basic.

My son John liked to play the games, so I showed him a little about Basic.
He soon caught on and was soon able to convert the games in D. Dobbs to run on 
our SWTPC 6809.
I picked up a copy of "My Computer Understands Me When I speak 
in Basic".  from the Micro Store in Richardson Tx. which he used as 
his
bible.

Years later, John was a facilities manager, he noted the controllers used in his
buildings were programmed in Basic, so he had no problem working with them.

I ran across this editorial, from 
Tech-insider.com, written in 1977 by Dr. Portia Isaacson (UT Dallas), in which 
she discusses the New Personal Computer trend.