NEW YORK — Mark Zuckerberg’s father said in a radio interview Friday that an early exposure to computers inspired his son’s interest in technology, and he encouraged parents to support their children’s strengths and passions with a balance of “work and play.”
“My kids all grew up around the office and were all exposed to computers,” said Edward Zuckerberg, a dentist. “There are advantages to being exposed to computers early on. That certainly enriched Mark’s interest in technology.”
Zuckerberg said he computerized his offices in 1985. His 26-year-old son, Mark, co-founder and chief executive of Facebook, was raised in the Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., house where his father’s dental offices are located. The dentist spoke for an hour with suburban Westchester station WVOX.
The doctor said his own computer-science background was “limited” but that he has “always had the latest high-tech toys,” including an early Atari 800. “It came with a disk for programming,” he said. “I thought Mark might be interested, and I imparted that knowledge to him. From there, it took off.”
He said Mark got a book on programming, but “ultimately, his ability to program was self-taught.” He described Mark as “a good student” with “a special affinity for math and sciences,” as well as a “very quiet guy” who “doesn’t like to boast about his accomplishments.”
