18 Sep
1998
18 Sep
'98
12:54 p.m.
Francois
-------------------------------------------------------------
I used to build stuff from old recycled materials, a few nails and lots of
paint, they were "analog robots" (kid power)
Sure. But that's what I was getting at.
There's so much advanced
tinkering that can be done very cheaply that we didn't have available to
us.
I see the lego and K'nex stuff, follow the directions and there you are!
I don't think that's true at all. I think the
really creative kids would
much rather build their own robot or program their own computer than sit
on their ass all day and play games. The problem is the atmosphere is
different. Everything is so nicely packaged that you don't need to get
inside your machine and learn about it. I think this needs to change.
Exactly, with todays "creative sets" all the creativity is removed and
prepackaged: you can buld a dino or a tower of death then you play with it
for five minutes and get bored. Then you go back to your nintendo where you
still have to figure out the secret of the grotto on level twelve.
I'm not against nintendo and the such but they make entertainment easy and
readilly available: no looking for parts, no playing with sharp objects or
solvent based glue, they are the ideal "babysitters".
> But I still go and build stuff from spare parts,
still keep steppers and
> gears in neatly ordered cabinets and still dream that one day, when I
have
the time,
I'll build that robot or one of the numerous projects I have
recorded in notebooks.
Me too. But my parts are all stashed in thrift stores,
waiting for me to
pick them up :) What idea was that?
Do a web seach on "Slam
Man"
I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about
the fun the nerdy kids these
days could be having if they discovered classic computers.
Got your point and I aggree but I guess the problem is more the shortage of
nerdy kids rather than their lack of imagination. As a classic collector you
must have gone to quite a few swapmeets or hamfest. I have not attended one
without seeing at least half a dozen kids with caddies or huge backpacks and
filling them up with anything marked free.
I think they are (the nerdy kids) having a bunch of fun with classics.
I can tell you that my kids (I hope they end up like me:) will have lots of
stuff available for them to tinker with.
Actually, there is one kid I've been talking to in
e-mail (although he's
19 now so "kid" may not be appropriate anymore). He built some sort of
digital logic contraption with relays out of an old elevator controller!
It sounds wild. He said it can do actual useful work, such as image
processing. I don't know the total details, but I'm trying to get him to
exhibit it at the Vintage Computer Festival. He said its very large and
would be a burden to move, but I'm trying to figure out a way to help him
get it to the venue. That sort of project should inspire many people
around his age to embark on similar projects of their own.
Please keep pressuring
him.
I wish I could help local kids in projects and getting they interest on
classic computers but there are no programs that deal with that here and
it's a real pain to set one up if you don't have an educator's degree.
Francois
-------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the desperately in need of update
Sanctuary at: http://www.pclink.com/fauradon