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Bruce Patin wrote: I saved some IBM punch cards for my kids.
<shudder>
I did punch cards my freshman year, then the school converted to terminals.
At the end of the first semester I recall seeing an upper classman carrying a large deck (probably 300+ cards) to drop off at the computer center. At that time we wrapped our deck with a couple of sturdy rubber bands and dropped them in a slot. At the beginning of the semester we could return in 1-2 hours to get our deck + printout. At the end of the semester it was 12 hours. This enforced reviewing the code and NOT making mistakes.
Anyway, the upper classman dropped his deck and the single rubber band he used broke. Cards scattered all down the hallway. He looked like he was going to cry, started to pick up his card, then turned and walked away.
The morals of this story? 1) use more than 1 rubber band. 2) use a wide marker to draw a diagonal stripe across the top of the deck to the cards can be re-ordered visually.
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Javascript to teach an 8 year old programming? You just got to be kidding!
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Bitbeisser wrote: Javascript to teach an 8 year old programming? You just got to be kidding!
I think you're coming with a lot of preconceived ideas.
JavaScript can be simple. It can be.
The fact that it isn't is due to the way some devs implement JavaScript.
Is there anything tough about showing an 8 year old how to create a variable in JavaScript?
var counter = 0;
Also, most likely if the kid has any kind of computer (iOS, Windows, Linux) then she'll have everything she needs to begin (text editor, web browser).
Here's the first program from old K&R C :
#include <stdio.h>
main()
{
printf("hello, world\n");
}
Here it is in JavaScript:
console.log("hello, world\n");
Now, advanced JavaScript, that's another thing altogether isn't it?
Devs do some terrible things (bad code organization and using globals, etc) with JavaScript but it doesn't have to be that way if the teacher guides the student properly through the material.
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I am setting up an old laptop with Linux and a Python environment for my son to start learning to code. A bit older than a 7 year old, but still ...
Money makes the world go round ... but documentation moves the money.
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Try again, my friend.
JavaScript, as its namesake stands for is just a Scripting language akin to BASH and PowerShell. Yep, you can make it do great things, but with way too many caveats beginner wise.
On the other hand, early 80s systems were complete development environments which presented themselves with no introduction and no serious booting (you can even run a commodore 64 in a browser). You were alone with the intro screen
*** COMMODORE 64 BASIC V2 ***
64K RAM SYSTEM 38911 BASIC BYTES FREE
READY PLAYER ONE.
What else could you want in life 
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Member 2896020 wrote:
*** COMMODORE 64 BASIC V2 ***
64K RAM SYSTEM 38911 BASIC BYTES FREE
READY PLAYER ONE.
What else could you want in life
Absolutely, I remember. It was quite beautiful in its solace. 
modified 18-Jan-19 9:27am.
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I had to learn x86 assembly to detox from that old form of basic. It made learning modern languages difficult.
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daflashrex wrote: I had to learn x86 assembly to detox from that old form of basic. It made learning modern languages difficult.
That is very interesting.
So assembly on commodore was really ugly then? How so?
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It had already been a couple of decades by then so I didn't look at Commodores assembly.
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Following close on the heels of OG's Useless IoT item of the weekend, for those that follow close on the heels I present;
Fashion WIFI Version Smart Led Dynamic Backpack[^]
A must have for all your back to schooler's. I can just imagine some of the graffiti that will be generated!
I may not be that good looking, or athletic, or funny, or talented, or smart
I forgot where I was going with this but I do know I love bacon!
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Quote: show youthful vitality
Where does that come from? I don't have any!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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How soon before ads will start appearing on these backpacks?
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Forogar wrote: How soon before ads will start appearing on these backpacks?
Windows 10?
I may not be that good looking, or athletic, or funny, or talented, or smart
I forgot where I was going with this but I do know I love bacon!
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HA! 
When you are dead, you won't even know that you are dead. It's a pain only felt by others.
Same thing when you are stupid.
modified 19-Nov-21 21:01pm.
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Actually since the display is only 64x64, Windows 10 would only have room for 1 icon - and nothing else!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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I could think of an appropriate icon, one finger salute!
I may not be that good looking, or athletic, or funny, or talented, or smart
I forgot where I was going with this but I do know I love bacon!
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"Ads" are the least of the problems: it's "Nads" you want to worry about!
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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I agree it is a useless IoT, but part of me saw it and thought that would be a cool DIY project to play around with in my spare time.
Like what else could you make it do? Have it display a list of unsecured networks as you walk around town? Or have it look for discoverable devices on the same network and pop up a 'Hi [device name]! I can see all of your dirty pictures!' message... just don't have it display any of those images. 
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64 by 64 pixel display, so yes: 10 lines of 10 characters in a (very old fashioned) 5x5 character matrix.
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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It would be kinda fun to play with but in the hands of a teenager I could see it being hacked and a kid walking around sporting porn!
I may not be that good looking, or athletic, or funny, or talented, or smart
I forgot where I was going with this but I do know I love bacon!
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Oh wow! The nerds will have their day when the "cool" kids wear these things and a computer nerd will hack it to say "Kick me!"
When you are dead, you won't even know that you are dead. It's a pain only felt by others.
Same thing when you are stupid.
modified 19-Nov-21 21:01pm.
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Thanks to you, I now have no contribution to add - niiiiice!
My instant first thought was "Kick me"
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Bought it!
Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it.
Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.
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I've never read 1984 but I've seen it mentioned and referred to many times here. I think I get the idea of what the book is about. So, I decided to buy it. US Postal tracking number says they tried to deliver it last Tuesday but at my request they are holding it. I did not request that. I contacted support via their web form Tuesday night and have not heard back from them.
Coincidence? Or do they not want me to read it?
Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it.
Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.
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