> I thought it would cause the computer to catch fire

Star Trek taught at least a couple generations that if you pressed the wrong key or programmed in something illogical the keyboard would burst into flames and throw you across the room.

My dad was offended that such an algebraic abomination should be the way the computer represented things. I started putting the LET keyword in front (which was strictly optional), and it bothered him a lot less.

Zx Spectrum was actually less confusing because it required LET before variable assignment.