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The $5,000 Code: A 35-Year Journey from Atari ST to TravelVirgins.com

By Rob & Anne  •  January 25, 2026
In 1991, faced with a $5,000 price tag for business software, I decided to build my own on an Atari 1040ST using GFA BASIC. With no internet or formal training, I taught myself coding through trial and error, library books, and late nights. This is the story of how that experience shaped my "built, not bought" philosophy for developing TravelVirgins.com today.

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#Atari 1040ST #GFA BASIC #self-taught coding #software development #bootstrapping #1991 #retro computing #built not bought #TravelVirgins.com #entrepreneurship #diy #programming

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