I'm and older programmer. I learned how to build a computer because my parents scraped enough money to buy a computer when I was young, but not wealthy enough to get it fixed when I inevitably broke it. This was back when PCs were friggin expensive as were parts. Fellow computer friends (we had few back then) would let each other borrow hardware (parts) and whatnot, so we had to learn how to install it and configure it (IRQ's COM ports, etc), but it was fun, and without internet! It's what I liked to do in my spare time.
The funny thing is the C64 and VIC-20 were self contained, for the most part. You didn't have to add cards and swap out processors and all that. All you really had to do is know how to put wad of aluminum foil where your fuse should go when your fuse goes out. :)
When the dot boom came around, I had to learn how to not only write web sites, but I had to learn how to host a website out of my house, which includes everything you would need to host a website, which involves a lot. DNS server, mail server, database server, server admin, TCP/IP, security, and more. I still host out of my house today.
The funny thing is the C64 and VIC-20 were self contained, for the most part. You didn't have to add cards and swap out processors and all that. All you really had to do is know how to put wad of aluminum foil where your fuse should go when your fuse goes out. :)
When the dot boom came around, I had to learn how to not only write web sites, but I had to learn how to host a website out of my house, which includes everything you would need to host a website, which involves a lot. DNS server, mail server, database server, server admin, TCP/IP, security, and more. I still host out of my house today.