First Computer: Atari Sparks Digital Curiosity

Howard Finberg’s digital journey began not with a newsroom overhaul or a professional directive — but with an Atari 800 personal computer, outfitted with a then-whopping 8K of memory. It wasn’t purchased for gaming or novelty. It was purchased for learning, exploration, and to better understand the technology that was already beginning to reshape communication.

This early-1980s decision marked the start of a lifelong practice: getting hands-on with the future before it arrived. The Atari wasn’t just a machine. It was a gateway — to BASIC programming, file management, and eventually to deeper insights about how information systems would drive the next generation of journalism.

Looking back, the Atari 800 wasn’t just a hobbyist’s tool. It was an early investment in digital literacy — and a quiet but profound signal that journalism’s future would not be written only with ink, but also with code.

Fun fact: the original Atari 800, priced at $999.95 in 1980, would be worth approximately $3,719.81 in 2025 dollars when adjusted for inflation.