Re: Free GNU/Linux intro class for teens advice? Purchase box? Squeak/Smalltalk programming
On Wed, Jul 8, 2015 at 10:47 AM, Marc D Ronell <mronell@alumni.upenn.edu> wrote:
>
> Thanks for all of the useful feedback. Some of the constraints which
> were not clear from my original post are that the venue specifically
> requested that programming be included.
The venue requested?
The library? An action group from the community?
> I don't see that as a bad
> thing as long as the programming is a couple of lightweight exercises.
Agreed, and if the sponsors think C is good here, I'd go with it.
> I am also glad to see that there is some healthy discussion of the
> language choice which might indicate that there is not necessarily a
> best answer.
Depending on the expectations of the teens involved, implementing a
crude copy filter in C and putting it in a pipeline could be plenty
exciting. And the same in any other language but assembler would be
less than informative.
My children, unfortunately, have not yet been motivated by such
things, and it looks like the younger will leave her teens before she
is, as well. Come to think of it, I was a junior in college before I
thought that kind of thing was fun. But these sound like they will be
teens from a really upscale neighborhood, many of whose
parents/guardians will be computer geeks.
Depending on the results of your survey, I'd think about Python or
Ruby or maybe even FORTH, with some simple graphics library.
Or are they interested in Robot Olympics-style stuff? If that's the
case, prerequisite hardware is close to necessary.
But all of that is only if your survey is deemed necessary and points
away from the expectations of the sponsors.
> The library venue does not have UNIX machines available at this time.
Maybe they would like a reason to start making some available?
> Plus, I would like the participants to have easy access to the
> environment outside of the Library's operating hours. Maybe a
> solution is to give participants options. The Live CDs sounds
> interesting, but then all configuration is lost, I think, when the CD
> is rebooted?
If the library personnel are okay with it, live USBs on the library
machines in the controlled environment could be pretty good to get
started.
You'd probably want to prepare the image they start with. But how much
you want to involve them in preparing the live USBs is something you
want to consider.
Broaden that question -- How much do you want the focus of the first
session to be on preparing the environment? Even if you ask them to
bring hardware that meets some specification, you may want the first
session to start by running from live USB for all but the most
ambitious of the participants.
> VMs are also a good alternative, but in the past, the
> environment was sluggish and peripherals were sometimes a challenge.
>
> I am still not convinced that $350 will be a major obstacle. I have
> spent that just on texts years ago, but realistically cost is a major
> concern. Perhaps the best feedback I might get are from potential
> participants. Maybe I can get some relevant surveys going to help
> answer some of these questions for our specific venue. Your feedback
> is really helping to target the potential survey questions, I think,
> although that was not my original intent.
>
> Thank you so much for all the great feedback. It is really helpful I
> think.
>
> Regards,
>
> marc
>
>
>
> --
> Marc Ronell, PhD CSE, PE EE
> gpg pub key 42E39C86 on http://pgp.mit.edu/
> http://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x304A2DED42E39C86
--
Joel Rees
Be careful when you look at conspiracy.
Look first in your own heart,
and ask yourself if you are not your own worst enemy.
Arm yourself with knowledge of yourself, as well.
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