Linux and Kids (Was Re: [Techtalk] My own Linux/Unix bookquestion...)

derek a arnold darnold at uakron.edu
Mon Feb 4 19:39:50 EST 2002


Well, there have been projects that have introduced Python to kids like 
CP4E.  You could start her off with something like that. Just like kids 
can take to foreign languages better than adults, I am sure the same 
applies to progamming.  Much respect to you for exposing your daughter 
to these things :-).

-Derek

Megan Golding wrote:


>Liss Tyson recently asked about books for children who want to learn
>Linux and this has gotten me to thinking about Linux and kids, in
>general.
>
>I have a five year old and she's got her own computer. For 
compatibility
>purposes, she has Windows 98 and does just fine. I don't think I'll 
ever
>wean her completely off of Win, because of the availability of
>educational programs with commercial endorsements (Rugrats, Barbie, et
>al). However, I run Linux and would love to offer her alternatives.
>
>Since getting curious about the topic, I've found that Debian has a 
kids
>project called Debian-Junior (http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-jr/).
>>From the quick look I took, it seems like their focus is a 
kid-friendly
>distro. Ok, that's a nice start.
>
>Then, I found out about Linux For Kids (http://www.linuxforkids.org/).
>These folks seem to be a clearinghouse for anything Linux and aimed at
>children (mainly games and typing tutors). Like Debian-Junior, this is
>another nice resource.
>
>While Debian-Jr. and Linux For Kids are a good start, I want something
>different for my child. I can find plenty of games (educational and
>otherwise) under Windows and Linux alike.
>
>I want my daughter to learn that the computer is more than an
>interactive TV or teacher of repetitive drill tasks. So, I was 
searching
>for some programming-related projects for kids.
>
>You'll never know how pleased I was when I found the following link!
>Remember LOGO, the programming language for moving a robot around? I
>learned it on an Apple IIe and the robot was called a turtle. Here's a
>link to LOGO in Linux:
>http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue43/silva.logo.html
>
>Are there any other good Linux programs good for kids? I prefer to stay
>away from the games and flash-card type stuff and prefer to focus on
>computer-related projects. I want my daughter to see the computer as a
>controller for a robot, learn some basic programming, use the computer
>to automate tedious tasks, etc. Too often, schools push the computer as
>a tool for repetitive drill, which I think gives kids the wrong
>impression about what a computer is useful for.
>
>Meg
>
>
>-- 
>
>Megan Golding (mgolding at secureworks.net)
>SecureWorks, Inc.
>
>Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.
> -- Timothy Leary
>
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------------------
Derek Arnold
darnold at uakron.edu



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