Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
A standard Linux CD set gives a young person just about every imaginable computing tool. While your youngsters may not need to be a super techno whiz when it comes to computers, giving them a view of the multi-user networked world at a young age puts them that much farther ahead of kids that were brought up on, shall we say, less capable platforms."
Posted Sep 17, 2004 22:41 UTC (Fri)
by hppnq (guest, #14462)
[Link] (1 responses)
I grew up on a ZX Spectrum, which had a whopping 48K memory. I mainly spent hours tuning the taperecorder so I could load incredible games, but I learned the basics of programming -- nothing like some kid in Finland was producing at around that time, I'm afraid.
Posted Sep 18, 2004 4:05 UTC (Sat)
by huffd (guest, #10382)
[Link]
Posted Sep 17, 2004 23:37 UTC (Fri)
by leonscape (guest, #12261)
[Link] (1 responses)
Posted Sep 18, 2004 3:57 UTC (Sat)
by QuisUtDeus (guest, #14854)
[Link]
My dad had gotten the reference manual for it, and it had about 10 pages listing the op-codes and describing the addressing modes. I wrote BASIC programs that would READ the numbers from DATA statements and POKE them into RAM. After that I would use SYS to jump to the start point. It was pretty fun, but the 256 byte stack and 3 8-bit registers were a bit limiting even for a high-schooler. My biggest mach.lang. program was a Rubik's Revenge simulator so I could play with it after my real one broke. It used the drawing characters to paint the basic shape, and when certain keys were pressed it would just swap the color info around in RAM, changing the colors that showed.
I spent a lot of time decoding the BASIC ROM machine language (again without an assembler). That was interesting.
Then I had a 5-week class on Unix, C, and Lisp during high-school, even before much PC experience. It made me a "unix-bigot" even before college. Memories...
Posted Sep 18, 2004 17:03 UTC (Sat)
by blayne (guest, #19468)
[Link] (6 responses)
I also had to run two miles to school in seven minutes every morning, in the dark, in snow that was hub deep on a ferris wheel, and it was uphill. When I ran home every evening to do 14 hours of chores, it was uphill too.
But you can't tell that to kids these days, with their fancy powerful computers.
Posted Sep 19, 2004 1:58 UTC (Sun)
by njbees (guest, #24811)
[Link] (2 responses)
Also still have a working 16K(!) Sinclair ZX-81 repackaged with a usable "full-size" keyboard.
Ah, the days of "real" computers. Toggle switches and LEDs. None of these
Posted Sep 20, 2004 4:05 UTC (Mon)
by frazier (guest, #3060)
[Link]
These new-fangled x86 computers that don't flicker are a way better deal! Even with my tiny hands at the time (I was a child), that stock keyboard was nasty.
Posted Sep 20, 2004 16:01 UTC (Mon)
by XERC (guest, #14626)
[Link]
Posted Sep 19, 2004 3:27 UTC (Sun)
by leonscape (guest, #12261)
[Link]
Posted Sep 20, 2004 15:55 UTC (Mon)
by XERC (guest, #14626)
[Link] (1 responses)
Posted Sep 21, 2004 18:03 UTC (Tue)
by hathawsh (guest, #11289)
[Link]
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,13849,00.html
Posted Sep 20, 2004 12:12 UTC (Mon)
by kfox (guest, #4767)
[Link] (1 responses)
Go Linux!
Posted Sep 20, 2004 19:42 UTC (Mon)
by Richard_J_Neill (subscriber, #23093)
[Link]
Well, yes, they should! Maybe not all the time, but it's far too valuable when used *well* for it to be denied. For example, isn't it wonderful that a child can say "But *why*, Daddy?", and actually be able to get a good answer!
> Ignore all research for and against technology in education.
This is a good point: it is certainly true that computers are not the best tool for most lessons. (In fact, in many ways, I don't think computers belong in the classroom, most of the time.) However, I don't think that this is the focus of the article.
> Pretend this wasn't an article by a boastful dad about his precocious daughter.
Well, he does have something to be proud of, so I can't see why he shouldn't write about it. Besides which, it is a good example. (And if he didn't give a real life instance, everyone would be saying "yes, great in theory...now give an example")
Confession time. ;-)
Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
I still have one of the few ZX-81's that landed in the states with 2k. The soft touch keyboard has now calcified but it was great. Mazogs was the best maze game ever. Found out how to dump the code and was able to bring up the overview map used for debugging and jump back into the game.Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
Sinclair basic, yea those were the days..sniff..
I remember trying to program the Vic20 with its paltry amount of RAM with Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
Basic ( 3K ). I learned lots on that machine, that I carried through to
the 64, then the Amiga, even learning assembler for it, and now PC's. I
still smile everytime I peek at a char in a C++ stream.
I learned my early BASIC on a Commodore 64 and even learned my first machine language on it (6510), and that was without an assembler (not sure I knew they existed then).Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
Sinclairs? Commodores? Amigas? You guys are tech-weanies. My first computer was the Cosmac Elf. 256 BYTES of RAM. Yes, a quarter of a KB. Hex pad input, two digit hex LED display, one LED output device. Programmed in machine language. I'd have killed for an assembler. Now THOSE were the days.Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
I have two RCA VIPs the brother (sister?) to the Cosmac Elf. :-) I wish I could find replacement 1802 uP for them. They were neat little computers to play with at the time.Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
LCD monitor and GB hard drives. pshaw. Kids don't no how good they have it!
:-)
I had both the ZX-80 and the Timex Sinclair 1000.
Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
I wish I could find replacement 1802 uP for them.
Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
Have You ever considered an FPGA as a replacement?
The new Spartan 3 starter kit has 200k-Gates chip with the
board, VHDL Compiler and a Simulator license, etc.
all for approximately 100$.
I suddenly feel like I'm in a Monty Pythom sketch... :) Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
...I also had to run two miles to school in seven minutes ...
Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
Can You really run with a speed of approximately 20 miles per hour?
That's about 36km/h, which seems to be apt for a
pretty fit cyclist, but not to an average runner.
A four minute mile is a very remarkable achievement. :-)Linux can give kids an edge (NewsForge)
Assume 8 year old kids should use the Internet.Mindless cheerleeding
Ignore all research for and against technology
in education. Pretend this wasn't an article
by a boastful dad about his precocious daughter.
> Assume 8 year old kids should use the Internet.Mindless cheerleeding