Computers for children

From: Francois <fauradon_at_pclink.com>
Date: Tue Jan 12 21:58:18 1999

>> Apparently you have not tried Visual Basic...
>
>How is that as easy as ROM BASIC? You turn the computer, and Visual Basic
>pops up immediately? I've yet to see such a computer (and if I do, I'll
>bash it to pieces with an axe, but that's another story)!.

Yes you can make your computer boot and load Visual Basic right away (you
just have to wait a little longer:) What I meant by mentioning VB is that
you can build a familiar interface very quickly and then add the code
incrementally as you move along. VB takes care of all the extra stuff then
you click on the play button and tada...(as a side note I do not like VB I
just have to use it once in a while)

>
>We're talking about teaching _about_ computers, not teaching _with_
>computers. Granted, Alvin and the Chipmunks software won't run on Linux
>(usually), and M$ Actimates won't work with it either...(echo "Hello,
>World!" > /dev/barney, anyone?) but those things won't help someone who
>wants to learn how a computer works.
>
Before you can really learn about computers you have to have an interest in
it and so far I have not seen anything that could possibly interrest a kid
that runs on Linux. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that MSBlows is THE
solution but it is hard to make it simpler for a non computer litterate
(actually for a kid who can't read it is strongly recommended to have a GUI
but that's another chapter)
If the kid starts asking questions on the under side of the machine then it
is a good idea to switch to a machine that encourages the user to scratch
under the surface.

Francois
Received on Tue Jan 12 1999 - 21:58:18 GMT