Kids computers

From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis_at_mcmanis.com>
Date: Fri Mar 10 19:59:41 2000

At 07:34 PM 3/10/00 -0500, Allison wrote:
>When did pentium become the required cpu?

At about 1995 or so. When my kids were younger an old P90 (Intel Mobo)
sufficed running Win3.1 for all their edutainment needs, but as they got
older and their tastes more refined it became less and less satisfactory.
In about 1995 I picked up a game/utility that was just too much for that
processor given the inefficiencies of Windows. Since I had upgraded my
"multi-session terminal" (aka my Win95 desktop) to a newer processor, my
old one replaced the "lab" computer (which runs all the vendor supplied CAD
tools [its more a piece of test equipment than a PC]) and the lab computer
became the new kids computer.

Interestingly enough (and to bring this message back on topic), my 9 yr old
is now learning about programming on the VAX. Why the VAX? Well I can put a
VT320 in her room and not worry about her surfing the net (when she figures
out how to do that I'll consider her "graduated'!) and there is very little
"clutter" between the computer and her education. (She still plays games on
the PC in the living room though.)

--Chuck
Received on Fri Mar 10 2000 - 19:59:41 GMT