Dear Parents of school-aged children,
Dear Parents of school-aged children,
Chances are you have a computer. Possibly a notebook computer provided by your workplace, maybe even a desktop computer that you bought yourself for the whole family to share. Whatever the case may be, you are probably running Windows XP and your children use your computer more than you do.
Evidently most children use computers for chatting to friends and the odd browse of some cool websites. Some of them install random applications from the internet or even have their own webpage. They will inevitably screw up your computer.
You proudly tell everyone you know that your children are good at computers. You are sadly mistaken.
Desktop computing has undergone extreme change in the past 20 years. Gone are the days of command line's, orange tinted monochrome monitors and spending days configuring devices. This grueling process results in a customised computer and more importantly you will have to learn how your computer works (at least to some degree).
These days, everything is too easy. Installing your operating system takes under 1 hour (in most cases), almost all of your hardware is automatically detected and supported but when it isn't, there's windowsupdate. Installing applications often requires 3 clicks of the next button and nothing more. Updating your system requires a visit to a website and a reboot or two. Its too easy. The end results obviously being that you don't learn anything useful about computers. This is a very desirable solution for us adults who lead a demanding, fast-paced lifestyle.
But think of your kids man!
They are growing up discovering a world where computers are an entertainment device, just like you did with your TV and/or Radio. While this is just fine and dandy for some people, in my opinion it would be a disservice to the next generation by denying them the opportunity to learn about the very technology which took off in the same decade they were born.
But how? Here is what I propose:
"Linux is too hard for me" I hear you saying, it won't be for them :)
Chances are you have a computer. Possibly a notebook computer provided by your workplace, maybe even a desktop computer that you bought yourself for the whole family to share. Whatever the case may be, you are probably running Windows XP and your children use your computer more than you do.
Evidently most children use computers for chatting to friends and the odd browse of some cool websites. Some of them install random applications from the internet or even have their own webpage. They will inevitably screw up your computer.
You proudly tell everyone you know that your children are good at computers. You are sadly mistaken.
Desktop computing has undergone extreme change in the past 20 years. Gone are the days of command line's, orange tinted monochrome monitors and spending days configuring devices. This grueling process results in a customised computer and more importantly you will have to learn how your computer works (at least to some degree).
These days, everything is too easy. Installing your operating system takes under 1 hour (in most cases), almost all of your hardware is automatically detected and supported but when it isn't, there's windowsupdate. Installing applications often requires 3 clicks of the next button and nothing more. Updating your system requires a visit to a website and a reboot or two. Its too easy. The end results obviously being that you don't learn anything useful about computers. This is a very desirable solution for us adults who lead a demanding, fast-paced lifestyle.
But think of your kids man!
They are growing up discovering a world where computers are an entertainment device, just like you did with your TV and/or Radio. While this is just fine and dandy for some people, in my opinion it would be a disservice to the next generation by denying them the opportunity to learn about the very technology which took off in the same decade they were born.
But how? Here is what I propose:
- Buy a second-hand computer for your children
- Order a copy of Ubuntu
- Set up an email account
- And bookmark this link
"Linux is too hard for me" I hear you saying, it won't be for them :)
posted by n @ 12:19 PM
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