[BozemanLUG] Local kids' computing ?

[gary hildebrand]

I'm partial to 8 bit computers, and my beloved VIC-20 and C=64.  Too bad
they're not readily available -- IMHO that is a great way to get started,
especially in ML (assembly language).  They're documented out to gahzing,
and if you think 64k doesn't do much, remember when GEOS came out.  Not bad
for a Mac look-alike machine.

Then move onto the PC and LInux.  When they get into HS, and college.  As
long as they don't turn into another "Windoze geek" who has no other
knowledge than knowing the ins and outs of how to tweek M$ software to work
the way you intended it, not THEIRS.

But then again, I'm more into hardware hacking, and using stuff the PeeCee
geeks would consider obsolete.  Hey, as long as it works, and is dirt
(literally) cheap, use it.  Three cheers for SCSI drives, Zip & Syquest
drives, even the old 3.5 and 5.25" floppies.  I picked up a Gateway 750 Mhz
Athlon machine that works just fine on older distros for . . . $10.
Barebox, but h**l, I'd rather putz with it than spend $10+ on a bad movie
and a good pizza.  Keeps me off the streets at night . . . LOL

Gary Hildebrand
Bozeman

On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 9:53 AM, David Boreham <david_list at boreham.org>wrote:

>
> My oldest son has reached the age where he can begin to learn about
> computers and programming (I found that without a basic understanding of
> algebra it's pretty hard going, so 4th grade seems to be the first
> usable entry-point). He got a Rasberry Pi for his birthday and we've
> booted it up, ssh in, turned on/off the LED, played an audio file, stuff
> like that. We're waiting on the gertboard to be delivered next month.
>
> Anyway, just curious if anyone else here has kids and if so what groups
> there might be locally to get together. I've seen some coverage of a
> robotics group at MSU that I believe worked with local HS students, but
> it isn't clear if they're still meeting.
>
> Thanks!
>
>
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