Help me find the book that hooked me on programming

General Forums Off-topic Chat
1

a long time ago, when I was about 14, I read an adventure book. The hero was a computer expert kid who would write programs here and there to solve mysteries and crimes. The book had actual source code for some programs and you could type them into BASIC and see them work!! I asked my dad, hey dad, do you have BASIC? he said, lets see, yeah, and typed a program in. zamm! it did something!!! I imidiately started playing around, changing parameters, etc.
So in effect, I began learn programming and write computer programs BEFORE I COULD EVEN TYPE. I had only had my 386 for a few weeks.

I want that book. I want the book that introduced me to programming years ago, so i can remember the awsomeness toward programming that I felt back in those days.

I dont remember title or author, but the idea was the following
A boy goes around solving mysteries and writing programs.
He likes this girl who also likes programming
There is a villain who is thin, Dr. something or another
There is a good guy who is a very good actor, called “chameleon” or something cuz he can be like anyone
the chameleon acts like this gregarious chubby guy
At a crisis point, the good guys are escaping and have to go through some iron bars, and the fat guy wont fit
the kid convinces him to “be” the skinny guy, then he fits. ( I hope im not mixing stories)

the Programs I remember were
A program that encryptes/decripts messages by simply substituting letters
A program that opens a gate. (the program actually just creates an animation of a gate opening)

thats about all I remember.
How could I find this? PLEASE HELP.

2

Cor that books sounds like a good read - I wish I had that book when I was fourteen. Ofcourse at fourteen I was already working 55 hours weeks at times. Good luck with your search buddy.

3

how old are you now? in other words how many years ago was it that you were 14?

does the name danny dunn ring a bell as the main character?

4

this was like 11 or 12 years ago, and I really cant remember the name at all. Ill google danny dunn though

5

danny dun would have been to old. try “chip rogers computer whiz”

6

Chip Rogers is apparently the same KIND of book. but unfortunately no THE one. Thanks. I’m getting closer. Anyone else have an Idea?

7

UPDATE: IT WAS IN THE MICRO ADVENTURES SERIES, IM ALMOST POSITIVE. HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE!!!

I cant find anywhere online that has any information on them to figure out which one.

Anyone know of a good alternative to Amazon.com?

8

ok i think its number 3 so I ordered it. hurray, I’ve been wanting that for years just never spent a whole evening tracking it down. thanks guys for the tips that pointed me in the right direction

9

Haha, sounds like a great book to have had indeed. I’m glad for you that you found it. I started programming with Superlogo, not nearly as awesome as your book.