I found that the simpler, early BASIC dialects were a good primer for assembly language. You had to create all the structure from jumps to numeric values. Goto and gosub mapped on to jump and call instructions.

Using labels in assembly was a step up from line numbers!

Don't forget to check that a script will eventually halt before executing it!

This has reminded me that I had a special "floppy disk pen". It was just a regular felt-tip but with a weak breakaway end, so that it would give way before damaging a disk if you pressed too hard.

I think it may have been free with a magazine. I hope I didn't actually pay money for it.

My first ISP (Demon Internet) had me use the ham radio software KA9Q in DOS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KA9Q

Mail and Usenet programs would auto-run to download and upload when it connected via modem.

Well yes, but... the whole thread is about sending messages!