Computers for children

From: Doug Yowza <yowza_at_yowza.com>
Date: Tue Jan 12 17:12:26 1999

On Tue, 12 Jan 1999, Sam Ismail wrote:

> Well, personally, I think that to give the child a better understanding of
> the computer, they should start with something simple and (dare I say)
> rudimentary, like a C64 or Apple II (Certainly more rudimentary than a
> modern day PC with a GUI masquerading as an OS).

If your goal is to teach them about computers, then I think a *much* more
rudimentary computer would be more appropriate. A C64 is OK for teaching
high-level programming, but start them off with low-level stuff like how a
logic gate works, advance to boolean algebra and let them stay there for a
long time until they learn how to minimize gates in their own designs, let
them build a CPU, microcode it, program it, and *then* move on to the
exciting world of BASIC.

Forget the C64 for a while, and find that kid a Geniac or something
similar.

-- Doug
Received on Tue Jan 12 1999 - 17:12:26 GMT