Intro to coding

[John Rumm]

Going back to that topic from a few weeks back, I found another quite nice one today:

(versions to run in a browser and on various devices)

[Huge]

I've been writing code for 41 years. I don't want to do it any more.

[Bill]

I'm not sure whether I am going senile or whether Lightbot is a but too difficult for me. I can only get to the first 4yo level before I fail to understand left turns and moves enough to reach the goal.

What I did, after a lot of advice here and elsewhere, was program up 2 laptops with: Mint 17.1 Greenfoot Eclipse and loaded in a bunch of pointers to sites and on-line books about them and BASH Python Perl

One laptop was given, via my daughter, to the 10 yo's father together with a miniscule course on how to operate the machine, Mint, Greenfoot and Firefox (for bookmarks). I kept the other one in case any questions came.

I have heard nothing since. I think the most likely result is a very stressed out Dad somewhere.

The laptop I gave away had previously "sold" for £11 on Ebay, but the buyer didn't pay. Only a Core Uno, but it worked pretty well.

[Huge]

I can already program ("code", if you prefer) adequately in perl & bash. I thought about learning python for entertainment, but decided that I can already do everything I want in perl, and that life is too short to be learning new programming languages, especially given my initial statement.

[gareth]

Whereas I've been doing it for 44 years and thrive on the excitement of designing something at the system level, and then implementing one's creation down to the joy of completion when the last bug (Yes, OK, the last one that _I_ perceive) is rooted out by the debugging process.

It's that same creativity and application that started me off as a radio amateur and as an electronics / software engineer.

However, If you were merely a code monkey churning out someone else's design, then I could understand your wish to stop.

[Mike Barnes]

+1

I did my first coding in FORTRAN in 1964. I spent almost all my working life programming, and in retirement I still enjoy designing, creating, and maintaining stuff.

But although the end products are satisfying, the best bit is acquiring and applying new skills. Fortunately, there's always something new to learn.

Agreed.

[Jacko]

More than 50 in my case.

and thrive on the excitement

Me too.

Dunno, I still like coding in that situation, largely because you end up with something very clean when its done right, whereas the hardware isn't quite so clean when finished.

Tho the house I designed and built from scratch on a bare block of land doing almost all the work myself was something that I use rather more every day than anything I have coded.

[Bob Eager]

Exactly how I feel. I'll welcome retirement as a time when I can actually do a bit more programming!

[Chris French]

In message , John Rumm writes

Thanks John,

I can't remember if it was mentioned in the original thread, but we've just got hold of a book: "Adventures in Minecraft". (yes, Minecraft again :-) )

It shows you how to use Python to interact and control Minecraft, including interacting with simple external electronic devices (light LED's and 7 segment displays in response to events in Mincraft, use a button to control the game)

So far seems good, aimed at older kids - say 11+, but of course it depends on the child and how much an adult is involved.

[John Rumm]

Our 11yo seemed to romp through the demo lightbot levels on the web without too much input - got stuck twice, I helped the first time, and SWMBO helped on the last.

(which narked him a bit, since I had offered a £2 prise to whomever finished first - and mum[1] beat him in spite of starting last ;-)

[Dave Liquorice]

How does a book do the hardware bit of flashing LEDs etc?

Sounds interesting. The Lad has expressed an interest in learning more programming, python and/or web pages.

He's also struggling to find his second GCSE option for next year. Some form of programming computer science course has been agreed and the school are happy to pay for a distance learning course(*). Trouble is can we find one? Nope. Plenty of things out there but most are not acreditited by one of the exam boards, at a higher level than GCSE/BTEC Level 3 or are on sites that just have a template for every course description into which just the course name is pasted. Sites out to take your money, maybe send a certificate on completion, printed on paper that is worth more than the words.

Anyone know of a good place to look for "programming", distance learning, courses? I've spent hours on google, following leads, looking at courses and not really finding anything.

(*) He's doing a BTEC Level 3 in Electroncs this year by that means. He should get a Pass or Merit. Bear in mind he's 15, (Fourth Year, Year 10) and BTEC Level 3 is A level ish standard, this course carries 30 UCAS points.

[Huge]

[29 lines snipped]

Not having any children, it appears that the Education system has become a Deep Mystery since my time.

[Tim Streater]

Yes, it's Chinese to me too.

[JimK]

/>Not having any children, it appears that the Education system has become

Yes, it's Chinese to me too. /q

The plot thins......

Jim K

[Tim Watts]

I have just dug out my Atmet AVR and misc electronics - will now embark on a bit of learning with the kids :)

1) Make an LED flash:

a) The hard core way - flip flop with actual transistors;

b) Use a 555;

c) The insane way - program a CPU;

d) Buy a flashing LED :)

Perhaps I might be able to get valves and relays in there too...

[Dave Liquorice]

Now theres an intersting question can you build a multivibrator with just relays instead of transistors? After all the transistors are only acting as switches...

And you've missed out TTL/CMOS logic circuits, using just gates.

[Huge]

Given how well any electronics I build work, I'd go for 'c'.

[Tim Streater]

This ought be to be the most instructive. If you have a scope and your flipflop cycles at once every few seconds, they can follow the charging voltage on the timing caps.

[Huge]

Of course. Mind you, I think you'd need some pretty specialised relays to make it switch *slowly*, if you wanted to use "just" relays.

[Bob Eager]

BTEC Level 3: if it's the 6 unit Subsidiary Diploma, it carries 40, 80 or

120 points depending on if it's a Pass, Merit or Distinction (or 140 if it's a Distinction *). If it's only 30, it would be a reduced one, and wouldn't count as a full A level. Hope that's useful.

(not that UCAS points are used so much these days; places just go for actual grades).