Comment by feiss | Hacker News Reader

Comment by feiss | Hacker News Reader

My oldest daughter will turn 8 this year. These days I'm planning which would be best computer/software/OS for her (if any), but nothing in the market fits my requirements as a father. There is so much noise, distraction and overall bullshit in today's computers that I don't think it is healthy or appropriate for her.

So I'm planning to make a custom (software) solution. A small set of focused, minimal, productive and interesting apps in a controlled, noise-free environment. I want her to use the computer as a TOOL to enhance and complement her daily activities, not as a toy, an addiction or an entertainment.

(Think a PICO-8 high-res system for general usage, not only for making games.)

(And yes, she would be able to alternatively watch cartoons and play videogames, but not in this "work/learn" computer)

So if I have to build all this myself on my little spare time, it will probably take me the whole year.. :sweat-laugh:

I wish you a healthy and joyful 2023, dear reader.

Most important thing is that she spends a lot of time outside playing and interacting with other kids.

I cannot agree more with you, hence the "(if any)" in my comment. Playing with other kids is our highest priority, and that's also something I also plan to work on harder this year (engage more with other parents, less extra activities after school, etc).

But on one hand I'm a "maker" and I cannot stop thinking in crafting new things, and this could help others too.. and on the other hand I see she has an immense interest (and capability), which I'm always repressing.. and I'd love to find a good balance.

Thanks, I appreciate the comment :)

The odds seem higher for that if using a computer like OP describes rather than a traditional ipad loaded with games

haha :D

Sorry, I'm not sure if that came off as an insult("the kid won't use that computer"), but just that the kid will probably use the computer to the extent that it is useful or interesting to her, and have an easier time putting it aside, which is different from traditional computing these days where everything is designed to suck you in regardless of what your interests are.

yeah I took it as "she won't use that" which was hilarious. But you are right, what I pretend is to remove the addictiveness part of current computers, and make it a useful, exploratory, learning tool. Which will demand effort from her, and will get her tired much sooner than youtube.

Coming from a similar use case, I'm all in on LÖVE (https://love2d.org) You can see some of the things I built with it at http://akkartik.name/post/roundup22

Are you talking about helping your kid(s) learn to program / learn to work with graphics-y things using LOVE?

Last I looked at LOVE, the community was really into using immature names for everything like SECS, LUBE, COCK, AnAl, HUMP, Polygamy, Swingers, Quickie, etc, which makes vanilla, Prude-y McPuritan me look elsewhere for such things.

When was this? And which community? I haven't noticed this either in the Discord or https://love2d.org/forums. Then again I haven't spent a whole lot of time in either, I'm mostly just building my own stuff. My kids are still too young.

One of my two kids was interested. I gave him my Apple IIci when he was around five (early nineties). Now he’s making the big bucks doing awesome stuff at Apple.

I recommend finding one of those. When you turned it on, the only thing you could type was Basic. As he got older, I just gave him my old computers.

Don’t overthink. If your kid is going to like computers basically the only thing you need to do is get out of the way. If you approve too energetically, she will start to hate on her thirteenth birthday on principle… unless she likes it then it matters very little what you do.

There might be a good idea here, though the post certainly triggered several responses: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34186349#34188011

> a Raspberry Pi last Christmas and loaded one thing; a python shell "PlayOS" that I wrote to make everything a three or four letter command

oh, thanks! somewhat aligned, and a very interesting conversation! good find, thanks

I'm interested in following your progress on this. I have a 2 year old who I want to show computers/computational systems to as early as possible.

I followed you on Twitter... but is there somewhere I can subscribe to hear more about this project in particular?

Thanks, I guess Twitter is the best option, yup. I'm also in mastodon, same username at c.im. But I must warn you that I'm not the most focused, perseverant person..

I also have a 3yo, so if I'm late for the older one, we still have time left for our young ones :D

Haha, nice. And same — maintaining focus is hard :)

btw, really cool work with Remake, it's really neat!

Haha, thank you! I'm working on something similar, but easier to use/understand now. [0]

You might be interested, idk.

[0] https://hyperspace.so

Microsoft Surface tablet with Fedora, install some productivity and educational programs. Later you can show how GNOME Builder works and teach some simple but useful programming

https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Supporte...

edit: if it's Python start with Thonny to show the programming flow first before moving to GNOME Builder

Have you considered a TI-89? They are basically like early microcomputers, frozen in time. They boot to BASIC and can also be programmed in C and assembly with no operating system to speak of. They're handheld and battery powered and durable, they come with useful math software for school, and there's a hobbyist programming scene and a big library of software and games written by kids for kids. That's how I learned to program.

Nice, gorgeous machine. But I was looking for something more generalist than maths and programming. Although you say there's a plethora of hobbyist software too.. I'll take a look, thanks!

Well, the hobbyist software is mostly games and math/programming tools, though there is some productivity stuff. TI-92 is almost the same thing but with a mini querty keyboard which might be interesting for more general use. But there's no networking, no color, no audio, no touchscreen, no IMU, no USB, no GPS, etc. Limits the kinds of software you can build, but it's part of the charm.

What about buying an old C64 for her? I don't think that it is a problem, that it is old, if you make it interesting enough. I remember how proud I was at that age to own some old big radios to show to my friends.

Yeah, old C64, even a DOS, is also something I consider.. but I also wonder about the real value into going back to the 80s.. we are in 2023, after all! :think:

i would recommend a chromebook. cheap, simple, and probably what she'll use at school.

chromebooks are a thing in US schools, aren't they?, but not so much in Spain, they don't regularly use computers in public schools (at least in the area we live). But I do have a small Asus laptop with a great form factor.

Thanks!

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