What was the first valuable thing you learned on a computer?

[keyplyr]

The very first valuable thing I learned to do on a computer was cut'n paste.

I have used this trick each and every day since. I am constantly cutting and pasting text from one place to another, even on mobile. It saves time, promotes uniformity and just makes things a lot easier.

When working with those new to any type of computer, this is one of the first things I attempt to teach them.

[Marshall]

To elaborate on what you said, all short cut keys. Real time saver.

[not2easy]

I think the first valuable thing I learned on a computer was html, but there were several early discoveries that made a difference for me. Learning that browsers have settings was one. Learning how to read email message headers - remember, there were oceans of spam back then. Lots of things to learn even today.

[phranque]

programming.

[tangor]

Made typewriters obsolete. And programming, of course. :)

A device that put all the bits and pieces of human creative endeavor into a (then, when I started) 8088 processor and 640k RAM that actually produced RESULTS in the public arena.

WordStar, anyone? BBS? Visicalc, Lotus?

As this is a "new to web development:" the first thing learned was html was word processing for a transmitted medium with display intended for computer screens which, at that time, had display resolutions of 320 up to 640. And how TABLES made layout possible. We don't do that anymore, but that's how it started.

[not2easy]

I actually took a course in WordStar only to find I picked the wrong one to learn. :( On the job I used Lotus and loved it dearly. It could do anything! OK, anything I needed done for reports, charts, etc.

[keyplyr]

In the late 80s while I was teaching at a university in Los Angeles, I heard about an extension course in Computer Science. I was immediately interested as the Internet was just getting going.

I showed up the first night and took a seat. The next hour and a half was spent explaining how to put an image on a webpage.

I didn't make it to the end & didn't return.

[phranque]

As this is a "new to web development:"

right...
i installed an early version of apache (possibly pre-1.3) in the late 90s and learned the cgi interface using tcl.

In the late 80s ... how to put an image on a webpage.

you had quite a head start!
TB-L developed the first web browser in the early 90s.

[keyplyr]

TB-L developed the first web browser in the early 90s

Early 90s then :)

Couldn't have been much later than that though because I stopped working there in 95.

[ipco]

I used Lotus Notes a lot late 90's. Took a course in Domino, which was Lotus' web interface. I think what I learned from that, was to structure the pages for ease and simplicity for the user, and I still do that.

Where I actually learned what HTML was, believe it or not, on the mainframe!

They were playing around with this thing called Hyper-T and by clicking a link on one database page you were immediately sent to another. That must have been very, very early 90's.

[tbear]

First thing I learned was not to trust the 'local, freelance computer specialist', from the local computer club, when buying your first computer. LOL

Then, learning to make web pages using, first, Netscape Navigator 3 Gold (3 months after getting my first computer), then later, Aracnophilia......... Ahhhh, those were the days.

[lucy24]

I didn't make it to the end & didn't return.

Heh, I remember those days. You could take a full-semester course in computer programming ... or you could pick a language and read the manual, emerging with the same total knowledge at 1/10 the investment of time.

[piatkow]

For me probably learing SCRIPT on an IBM mainframe. Converting from GML: to HTML was easy.

[iamlost]

The very first thing I learned was that it was FUN! Next came programming followed by database design.

Then came the web and FUN! came back with a vengeance. Of course looking back layout was fine but design definitely ummm lacking.

HTML seemed to come naturally. Scripting was my first real 'hurdle' with webdev. JavaScript is still a pita.

[lucy24]

JavaScript is still a pita.

For historical reasons I speak Javascript with a strong BASIC accent.

[Jack_Hughes]

The value of backups.

The first thing I bought for my new micro (an Amstrad CPC 128) was a copy of WordStar and I managed to wipe the contents of the WordStar disk as the very first thing I did on my new micro computer.

It's a miracle I ever touched one again. CPM wasn't the easiest software to use. I found MS-DOS very easy by comparison.

[LifeinAsia]

That I could write legible (my handwriting sucks, and it's gotten worse) term papers much faster when I didn't have to constantly stop and use the correction fluid to fix mistakes while typing.

Of course, that just allowed me to procrastinate even later until I actually started writing them...

[lucy24]

when I didn't have to constantly stop and use the correction fluid to fix mistakes while typing

The first word processor I used (TechWriter, for CP/M) had a nifty correction feature that toggled the last two characters you typed. If only it were universal ...

[tangor]

The memories keep comin'...

My CP/M wp was Peachtext (formerly Magic Wand). It was the bee's knees back then. WS was short term, moved the WordPerfect 4.2. Those were the days. :)

What I really first learned on computers was everything works the same, only the labels changed depending on language/package.

[SarbjitGrewal]

The first thing i have learned on a computer is to use alt+tab which gives an immense experience of windows and tabs switching.