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A real microcomputer from The Raspberry Pi Foundation
- Thread starter tek-monkey
- Start date
wmrcomputers
Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
likewise
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
Bit of chat about Raspberry Pi on Material World - and associated stuff about computer education.
citricsquid
Well-Known Forumite
it really is depressing how poor computer education is nowadays. I make my (good) living from computers and I'm self taught, because when I was at school (less than 5 years ago...) high school IT extended as far as using Microsoft Excel, it sucks especially as the future is going to be even more IT based, so many opportunities missed.
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
It hasn't really changed that much, I left school in the early 90s and all we learnt was basic computer literacy on a 480z (text based, not a GUI in sight). We did word processing, and a basic spreadsheet (calc?), but that was it.
Luckily my interest had always been in taking things apart, so we picked up a few things along the way. It wasn't until I went to college that I got taught anything useful.
Luckily my interest had always been in taking things apart, so we picked up a few things along the way. It wasn't until I went to college that I got taught anything useful.
5
52.8N-2.1W
Guest
I think a sort of problem which is showing through in software quality these days is that whilst programming has never really been taught that much in schools (although I remember being taught LOGO!), kids today aren't growing up around computers that are easily programmable - so they're not learning to "Hack" in the same way that those of us geeks who grew up around the BBC Micro and ZX computers etc. did.
A glimmer of light however may be the emergence over the last few years of web based technologies which are easy to hack around with, so whilst they won't be turning on a computer and writing
10 PRINT "My name is 52.8N-2.1W"
20 GOTO 10
...they may well be doing the same on their first website in JavaScript...and learning the art of computer programming that way!
A glimmer of light however may be the emergence over the last few years of web based technologies which are easy to hack around with, so whilst they won't be turning on a computer and writing
10 PRINT "My name is 52.8N-2.1W"
20 GOTO 10
...they may well be doing the same on their first website in JavaScript...and learning the art of computer programming that way!
Kickstart
Well-Known Forumite
Hi
When I was at school we had about a dozen BBC micros (and an old Research Machines 380Z) which were used for programming but only in BBC basic. That this has in most places been replaced with lessons in how to use particular software packages is worrying.
I do wonder though if we did land up going back to trying to teach programming how many teachers have the in depth knowledge to teach more modern languages. Give someone C# and they will probably spend years finding their way around all the various objects.
Also, as a computer programmer for a living I would suggest that programming in the UK is dying off as an industry and has been for since just before the millennium. Plenty of unemployed programmers around as it is so easy to offshore the work / bring someone in from overseas.
Having seen some code written by very bright university computing graduates (ie, no concept of code flowing through in order) I am also unsure if universities are actually usefully teaching people programming.
Plenty of people knocking up web sites, but (with no offense meant at all) this is a very different skill set. More artistic than technical.
All the best
Keith
When I was at school we had about a dozen BBC micros (and an old Research Machines 380Z) which were used for programming but only in BBC basic. That this has in most places been replaced with lessons in how to use particular software packages is worrying.
I do wonder though if we did land up going back to trying to teach programming how many teachers have the in depth knowledge to teach more modern languages. Give someone C# and they will probably spend years finding their way around all the various objects.
Also, as a computer programmer for a living I would suggest that programming in the UK is dying off as an industry and has been for since just before the millennium. Plenty of unemployed programmers around as it is so easy to offshore the work / bring someone in from overseas.
Having seen some code written by very bright university computing graduates (ie, no concept of code flowing through in order) I am also unsure if universities are actually usefully teaching people programming.
Plenty of people knocking up web sites, but (with no offense meant at all) this is a very different skill set. More artistic than technical.
All the best
Keith
Toble
Well-Known Forumite
We had 8 480z machines and a server (floppy based server for that matter), 2 BBC Bs, an Electron and a 2 Spectrums.Kickstart said:
One of the Spectrums was used to control a hugely overengineered i/o port system that the teacher had build in his spare time.
Hey, I worked at Staffs Uni for 4 years. Don't get me started!
Depends. How about the backend stuff like PHP? Actually PHP would be a good one to teach, as it is sufficiently C like to be useful, and the idea of making a cool website might appeal to the kids. Just a thought.
But you shouldn't trust my thoughts... they might lead you towards a wifi enabled toy dalek that you control via a web server...
Kickstart
Well-Known Forumite
Hi
Most of the stuff I do these days is in PHP , but few web sites are really that responsive or have any need for complex databases in the background. Without the need for those the PHP contribution to a page will be minimal, and the make or break will be the artistic skills of the person who styled the page.
And how big is the Dalek? Could be fun to build a full size one based on a mobility scooter.
All the best
Keith
Most of the stuff I do these days is in PHP , but few web sites are really that responsive or have any need for complex databases in the background. Without the need for those the PHP contribution to a page will be minimal, and the make or break will be the artistic skills of the person who styled the page.
And how big is the Dalek? Could be fun to build a full size one based on a mobility scooter.
All the best
Keith
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
I'm a classic ASP man myself, bit behind the times but I can do everything I need to. Since AJAX came along anway. My job is essentially taking data from multiple sources and outputting it in a meaningful way, I'm useless at the artistic side!
Alan B'Stard
Well-Known Forumite
Looking forward to seeing this on youtube.Toble said:
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
Seriously good news, add a usb remote and you have something better than a wdtv for half (or less) of the price. I'm watching these with interest, will post here as soon as I see them for sale.
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
Who needs a usb remote when any android phone will do?
http://code.google.com/p/android-xbmcremote/
http://code.google.com/p/android-xbmcremote/
My Name is URL
Well-Known Forumite
Cheers Tek, keep the updates coming mate, very interesting 