Hello Nilrem:
I first began my interest in reverse engineering in the late 80's when I was exclusively using a MAC and mostly for music software. At the time, most of it was using the PACE protection system, which was them based upon an encryption system. When I started, I didn't have a clue about what I was doing, so I spent some time reading about assembly language programing, since that was what there was to see when using the available MAC debuggers.
Having learned only the rudimentairy principles of assembly, I simply started doggedly single stepping through the code and watching what it was doing. Eventually, I learned more about how the MAC system managed resources and debuggers and how the protectors attempted to make them crash. Having discovered that basic concept, the rest of the adventure was based upon preventing that from happening. If you can watch the code, and given enough patience and time, you can eventually figure almost anything out. It was a great learning curve to transition from the MAC to the PC because they were based upon totally different operational principles, particularily with code segments.
For me, the process of reversing is simply a mental exercise. There is a task that I want to accomplish that the protector wants to prevent me from accomplishing. I have to be willing to devote the time and effort to discover the tricks that are being attempted to defeat the debugger. If I can keep that working, it is only a matter of time and attention to detail that can lead to the end of the trail. This requires a willingness to study and patience with my own efforts. I'm not really interested in the programs themselves, as most have little utilitarian value in doing what I have to get done.
The enemy of all such processes is time. Having enough time to actually play with the programs is something that becomes more and more difficult to find, when real life intrudes upon hobbies. Afterall, there are mouths to feed, bills to pay, and obligations to meet that are more pressing than learning the latest twists in the ongoing struggle with ASPR or some other protector.
There is often barey enough time to keep up on reading all the information which becomes available on the various systems, let alone, find hours to carefully take them apart. I envy you younger folks the freedom from approaching, but not yet consumming responsibilities. When there is work, it has to get done and time for "fun" has to slide. Such is the way of life and I would not seek to reverse the trend. Generally, life is about choices and what one does with the time available.
As with most of you, I enjoy the challenge of figuring out something which has absolutely no meaningful purpose to the rest of my life, other than that it keeps the mind sharp and the practice of patience and problem solving is a skill that does translate well to most endevours in life.
So the long answer to your question is that I had to wait for computers to come along before I could begin playing with them. Like many people, I use them constantly in my work, not having anything to do with programming. From that use, grew an interest in knowing how they worked. It was no different than taking apart the old lawnmower, or the bicycle, or the motor on the family car, or learning how to build a house, or wire electricity without killing myself. None of these things were more than hobbies and the enjoyment of doing something with my own two hands and brain. When these other things, including computers, became available, they were disassembled, studied and put back together to see if I could make them run.
The only reason for the late start with computers is that computers weren't much available to the general public until the late 80's, so I couldn't exercise my natural couriosity, until they made the darn things affordable. And things have certainly changed a great deal. I remember paying over $10,000 for a MAC with a 20mg (yes that's megabyte) HD, a 17 inch color monitor, color card , a small floppy drive, and a pitifull amount of RAM, by todays standards Hell, I actually still have 4 MACs in storage and a running G4 for music. I have several PC's running just to make sure that when I need to do work, I have a running system, with all the necessary materials available to get it done.
And then I have to try to keep all you young, impatient folks from spending way too much effort on instant gratification, and too little time on learning.
The mind is a wonderful thing. Don't waste it trying always to do it the "easy" way. Sometimes, doing it the "hard" way is the only true path to actual learning. Without actual learning, nothing truly useful has been accomplished. Or at least that's what I was taught.
Oh, and r3L4x, get in there and pick up your room. How many time do I have to tell you. (Sound familiar?)
Regards,