Francois
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>Sure. But that's what I was getting at. There's so much advanced
>tinkering that can be done very cheaply that we didn't have available to
>us.
I see the lego and K'nex stuff, follow the directions and there you are!
>I don't think that's true at all. I think the really creative kids would
>much rather build their own robot or program their own computer than sit
>on their ass all day and play games. The problem is the atmosphere is
>different. Everything is so nicely packaged that you don't need to get
>inside your machine and learn about it. I think this needs to change.
Exactly, with todays "creative sets" all the creativity is removed and
prepackaged: you can buld a dino or a tower of death then you play with it
for five minutes and get bored. Then you go back to your nintendo where you
still have to figure out the secret of the grotto on level twelve.
I'm not against nintendo and the such but they make entertainment easy and
readilly available: no looking for parts, no playing with sharp objects or
solvent based glue, they are the ideal "babysitters".
>> But I still go and build stuff from spare parts, still keep steppers and
>> gears in neatly ordered cabinets and still dream that one day, when I
have
>> the time, I'll build that robot or one of the numerous projects I have
>> recorded in notebooks.
>Me too. But my parts are all stashed in thrift stores, waiting for me to
>pick them up :)
I used to build stuff from old recycled materials, a few nails and lots of
paint, they were "analog robots" (kid power)
>What idea was that?
Do a web seach on "Slam Man"
>I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about the fun the nerdy kids these
>days could be having if they discovered classic computers.
Got your point and I aggree but I guess the problem is more the shortage of
nerdy kids rather than their lack of imagination. As a classic collector you
must have gone to quite a few swapmeets or hamfest. I have not attended one
without seeing at least half a dozen kids with caddies or huge backpacks and
filling them up with anything marked free.
I think they are (the nerdy kids) having a bunch of fun with classics.
I can tell you that my kids (I hope they end up like me:) will have lots of
stuff available for them to tinker with.
>Actually, there is one kid I've been talking to in e-mail (although he's
>19 now so "kid" may not be appropriate anymore). He built some sort of
>digital logic contraption with relays out of an old elevator controller!
>It sounds wild. He said it can do actual useful work, such as image
>processing. I don't know the total details, but I'm trying to get him to
>exhibit it at the Vintage Computer Festival. He said its very large and
>would be a burden to move, but I'm trying to figure out a way to help him
>get it to the venue. That sort of project should inspire many people
>around his age to embark on similar projects of their own.
Please keep pressuring him.
I wish I could help local kids in projects and getting they interest on
classic computers but there are no programs that deal with that here and
it's a real pain to set one up if you don't have an educator's degree.
Francois
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Received on Fri Sep 18 1998 - 19:54:14 BST