Mark became interested in computers at an early age. When he was about twelve, he used the Atari BASIC program to create a messaging program called "Zucknet." His father used it in his dental office, and the family used it in the house. His fascination for computers continued through high school. Mark created a music software program, which was named Synapse. Several companies, including AOL (America On Line) and Microsoft, wanted to buy his software and hire him, but he refused their offers. He went to college instead.