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> RuneScape was what led me to become a software engineer (through the private server communities)

I have the exact same story. Mopar, RuneServer, then SoulSplit (look at what the founder of SoulSplit is doing now...)

I wonder how many people have the same background?

> I earned my first paycheck coding Runescape bots in 2004 - https://alexalejandre.com/about/

No sooner than I replied to OP, your message mirrors my experience. I really am interested now how many people had their introduction from similar things.

It certainly was my first taste of programming and stoked a lifelong interest in computers which has served me very well.

I’m in a similar boat - made my first private server when I was 11 and loved tech since

Back in those days I didn’t know about VPSes so I’d host the private server on our family computer. Going to bed I’d keep the computer on and pray that the server stayed on for at least 3 hours before crashing. Worst feeling was waking up and checking the logs to see the server crashed 10 mins after you went to bed :’)

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