[Gllug] Logo as a first language

[Sean Burlington]

On Tuesday 08 Mar 2005 3:04 pm, Holger Duerer wrote:
> >>>>> "Nix" == Nix  <nix at esperi.org.uk> writes:
>
>     Nix> I'm fairly convinced that if I hadn't been given access to
>     Nix> computers early (the age of four, in my case), I'd be *much*
>     Nix> worse at them than I am now. I've rarely encountered anyone
>     Nix> who first met computers post-adolescence who I'd describe as
>     Nix> good (although there are of course certain genius exceptions:
>     Nix> e.g. Don Knuth).
> Erm.  I cannot really comment on this as I don't know enough people in
> IT who are old enough.  I *do* know that most people exposed to
> computers in their youth are just as crap at programming as e.g my
> father is.

This is in itself an interesting generational difference - I'm 35 and people 
my sort of aged exposed to computers in their youth were almost all exposed 
to programming.

There are many younger people exposed in their youth only to games - I'd argue 
that these people *are* more adept at using computers - just not at 
programming them.


>     Nix> If you're just a user, not a developer, it's probably not so
>     Nix> important.
> Indeed.  And how many developers do we need in the future?  Enough to
> warrant wasting all children's time with computers today?

I first heard of the demise of programmers at least 20 years ago - apparently 
computers were all going to program themselves by now ...

Sure not everyone needs to know how to program - but most people in this 
country do use computers or deal with institutions which do. Having some idea 
how the things work tends to help ...

and who is to say what is a waste of time - personally I don't see the point 
of school in the first place - it gets in the way of learning.

-- 

Sean
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