[Linux Education]: Linux Installs and Children...

[Chris F.A. Johnson]

On Fri, 11 Dec 2009, Maureen E.Thornton wrote:

> That's fine for those who are technically inclined but what happens if
> screw driver terrifies you?

   As it should if you're not using a Robertson screwdriver.


> On Fri, 2009-12-11 at 13:22 -0500, Matt Price wrote:
> > On Fri, 2009-12-11 at 12:32 -0500, Colin McGregor wrote:
> > > On 12/11/09, Maureen E.Thornton <maureen-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> > > > The last thing we would want to do is to intimidate people!  That even
> > > > intimidates me!!!!
> > > > Maureen
> > > 
> > > Okay, so tread softly on the stuff with 5 and 6 year old children, but
> > > I will be happy to let folks know that this stuff is "Easy baceasy!"
> > > :-) .
> > > 
> > > Colin.
> > 
> > I'd sort of disagree with Maureen about this.  The point of this story
> > is, that when you give people the tools to do stuff, they can often work
> > it out -- though of course sometimes they have to break stuff before
> > they can fix it. (in German there's a special word for that --
> > verschlimmbessern -- which means, to break something by trying to fix
> > it.  I, uh, have occasion to use that word a lot).  
> > 
> > The lesson isn't so much that it's "easy" for some prodigies to build
> > linux boxes, as that there is something liberating about taking control
> > of your own technologies.  Hacking as a form of freedom.  
> > 
> > Anyway that's what I think.
> > 
> > m
> > 
> > > 
> > > > On Fri, 2009-12-11 at 08:53 -0500, Colin McGregor wrote:
> > > >> Ran across the following story about a 5 year old girl attempting to
> > > >> do an Ubuntu Linux install.
> > > >>
> > > >> http://www.gnomejournal.org/article/88/the-un-scary-screwdriver
> > > >>
> > > >> As it turned out she couldn't do it on her own, at points she needed
> > > >> the help of her older brother, brother being 6 years old...
> > > >>
> > > >> From time to time I do introductory talks on Linux, and the above is a
> > > >> great story, question is do I tell adults that I am attempting to get
> > > >> them to the level of what two sub-7 year old children can do  :-)  ?
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> Colin McGregor
> 

-- 
   Chris F.A. Johnson, webmaster         <http://woodbine-gerrard.com>
   ===================================================================
   Author:
   Shell Scripting Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach (2005, Apress)
   Pro Bash Programming: Scripting the GNU/Linux Shell (2009, Apress)
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