While we concentrate on increasing computer processor speeds which better our compute performance, I will touch on other developments in the computing environment which had as big an effect, but are not usually discussed. These advances shaped the landscape of how we go about our day-to-day programming and I propose our enjoyment in our jobs. In this lighthearted presentation, I will take a retrospective look at what programming might be like if the supporting hardware capabilities stalled in the 1980's/early 90's. Based on the computing environment in my early days at NCAR, I will look at what it might be like to use that technology to do software development today.