5 ms·

At around 8 years old i went out with each of my kids and we bought a second hand PC together and setup Linux. We purchased a working computer, but I went thro

At around 8 years old i went out with each of my kids and we bought a second hand PC together and setup Linux. We purchased a working computer, but I went through the motions of pulling out the hard drive and the RAM when we got home and then we went through a process of “building the computer together”, screw driver, case off etc. Having my kids start on Linux has massively levelled their tech skills up and setting up coding tools has been much more intuitive and natural. My son it’s now a coder and a very competent Linux user and his ops skills have supported him as he has begun coding professional now that he has graduated.

accurrent 4y ago
My dad used to distrohop a lot in the linux and bsd land. I first used linux around 20+yrs ago when my dad set up some linux(red hat or suse I cant remember). My dad never really taught me to program or supervised my usage of computers but when I got my first pc I was eager to set up linux. In the end I ended up bricking my windows xp install (no more games for me). My usb mouse would also frequently not work on linux. But that got me started on my journey through foss land. I'm now doing a PhD in robotics and I have no regrets. My younger brother also ended up using linux as he got my second hand macbook (with linux) as his first laptop. He is now headed down the med school route but still very proficient with coding thanks to his linux experience.
keyle 4y ago
Congrats, how do you keep their attention towards this path when they get so distracted with everything shiny?
- legends2k 4y ago
  Not the GP, but I seen family to have elders who's aware and keen on not having a lot of shiny stuff in general. Computers _are_ shiny for kids in such households.
- evolve2k 4y ago
  Oh another thing that I suppose helped was to collect and build an appreciation for old school tech. A gameboy is a parents friend these days, much less addictive than most modern devices. Gameboy, record players, takagochi, visits to a local HackerSpace and later a home drone and some 8 bit gaming, all helped build an appreciattion for a more home grown tech aesthetic. Also I had the plan to pay my kids $200 if they could get their touch typing speed up high enough, but that’s another story.
MrWiffles 4y ago
I wonder, for kids whose parents have done this but those kids didn't get into computer science, what other cognitive benefits they might have realized? Just because somebody doesn't get into CS in some form doesn't mean the exercise is a bust at all, but being exposed to seeing how things work, the logic, science, nuts-and-bolts of it all has got to have a net positive on the development of the child brain. And I wonder if there have been any studies proving tangible benefits from doing so, such that we could use that as justification for earlier exposure to such educational experiences in an age appropriate manner (where feasible/possible). Just some musings from my "mental mind" (stupid pun intended). Anyway, way to go mom or dad!
- _carbyau_ 4y ago
  I want my kid to use linux/windows/mac to train his ability to recognise basic concepts and apply them across any device. I also want him to hit issues and ask questions like "why can I do that here but not over there?"

accurrent 4y ago

My dad used to distrohop a lot in the linux and bsd land. I first used linux around 20+yrs ago when my dad set up some linux(red hat or suse I cant remember). My dad never really taught me to program or supervised my usage of computers but when I got my first pc I was eager to set up linux. In the end I ended up bricking my windows xp install (no more games for me). My usb mouse would also frequently not work on linux. But that got me started on my journey through foss land. I'm now doing a PhD in robotics and I have no regrets. My younger brother also ended up using linux as he got my second hand macbook (with linux) as his first laptop. He is now headed down the med school route but still very proficient with coding thanks to his linux experience.

keyle 4y ago

Congrats, how do you keep their attention towards this path when they get so distracted with everything shiny?

legends2k 4y ago
Not the GP, but I seen family to have elders who's aware and keen on not having a lot of shiny stuff in general. Computers _are_ shiny for kids in such households.
evolve2k 4y ago
Oh another thing that I suppose helped was to collect and build an appreciation for old school tech. A gameboy is a parents friend these days, much less addictive than most modern devices. Gameboy, record players, takagochi, visits to a local HackerSpace and later a home drone and some 8 bit gaming, all helped build an appreciattion for a more home grown tech aesthetic. Also I had the plan to pay my kids $200 if they could get their touch typing speed up high enough, but that’s another story.

MrWiffles 4y ago

I wonder, for kids whose parents have done this but those kids didn't get into computer science, what other cognitive benefits they might have realized? Just because somebody doesn't get into CS in some form doesn't mean the exercise is a bust at all, but being exposed to seeing how things work, the logic, science, nuts-and-bolts of it all has got to have a net positive on the development of the child brain. And I wonder if there have been any studies proving tangible benefits from doing so, such that we could use that as justification for earlier exposure to such educational experiences in an age appropriate manner (where feasible/possible). Just some musings from my "mental mind" (stupid pun intended). Anyway, way to go mom or dad!

_carbyau_ 4y ago
I want my kid to use linux/windows/mac to train his ability to recognise basic concepts and apply them across any device. I also want him to hit issues and ask questions like "why can I do that here but not over there?"