New subject: Forth as language bootstrap was Re: teaching programming to kids

3 Jan 2012

Hi folks,

...
  I'm writing a small Forth engine right now
>While BASIC is good for a starting language it is not the first >>>language
I'd bring up on a machine unless it had already been >>>setup on that
machine. >>>I'd bring up Forth. One can get the console in and out running
>>>first. One can then easily experiment with the disk IO until >>>it is
working right. >>>The source is available and easy to understand.
>>>Once one has a good understanding, bringing up other >>>languages is
trivial.  When it comes to teaching programming to kids, simple computers
like those in the 8-bit era surely have to be the best.

You might want to check out FIGnition, my DIY educational
computer, which although based on a modern AVR MCU, is designed
to work like a retro 8-bit computer; is simple enough
to be built by novices and small enough to be fairly easily understood.

https://sites.google.com/site/libby8dev/fignition

It works with PAL and NTSC video and around 80 have been sold to
Universities, Colleges and Schools in the past 8 months since its
release.

-cheers from julz

teaching programming to kids - Re: Looking for 8080/Z80 BASIC