Why are they asking for Macbooks? Is there some particular need for OSX? Why not just throw them onto Linux, if they're going to learn an operating system it might as well be something they don't have to shell out 1000+ for a computer for.
If only there were some sort of cheap computer that is very bare bones and small. One that can hook up to TVs by HDMI or RCA so the kids could use them at home. Have it cost around fifty dollars (with case and power adapter), and get people to donate extra keyboards and mice. If only.
We've generally gone with Macs because most of the tech companies around here have Macs can donate them as they roll out their old computers giving all the students a similar development environment. That being said we could make it work with other computers :)
Mission Bit doesn't have permanent classrooms. All of the equipment needs to be portable and standalone, so laptops are a requirement. Small HDMI computers such as Raspberry Pi are no longer cheap once you start looking at adding a keyboard, mouse and display.
We standardize on Mac to keep the experience as uniform as possible. A huge issue that few people consider is that if you have a fleet of mismatched laptops you're going to spend a lot of time and/or storage space sorting out which power supply goes to what and it's going to take a lot longer to build a single image that's going to work well for all of them (regardless of OS).
We're doing a pilot class with Chromebooks this semester, but we have to buy most of those ourselves. We've found that it's often easier to get a donation of an old Mac laptop than ~$220.
You must offer young recruits three things:
Good Training, Good Wages and Good Employment conditions.
They must have something to believe in, and to have hope for the future.
When I was a young bloke (Australia) the Tech schools offered great training courses, the employers were lined up on graduation day, and life-time employment was taken for granted.
These days, no one trains, the wages are ludicrous, and permanent employment is unheard of.
And yet employers complain that they can't get good engineers.
I love this! As somebody who's started programming when he was 9, I have been looking for ways to reach younger people for years now. So far I have not been very successful.
Back home I organise javascript meetups and bloody hell, I can't even get college students majoring in CS to attend. We manage to get a couple seniors and such here and there, but freshmen might as well be unicorns.
But I digress. All I wanted to say was that I love this and I wish you all the best. Getting good youth support is important for any field that doesn't want to die.
This comment and a couple others in this thread caused people to complain to us about shillage on HN.
This sounds like a great program for kids and we wish it all the best, but HN users are hyper-allergic to the tiniest traces of astroturfing and its byproducts. For best results—including not getting downvoted, flamed, or complained about to HN moderators—you're best off just letting the content speak for itself. Good luck!
[+] [-] LaikaF|11 years ago|reply
If only there were some sort of cheap computer that is very bare bones and small. One that can hook up to TVs by HDMI or RCA so the kids could use them at home. Have it cost around fifty dollars (with case and power adapter), and get people to donate extra keyboards and mice. If only.
[+] [-] blaurenceclark|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] etrepum|11 years ago|reply
We standardize on Mac to keep the experience as uniform as possible. A huge issue that few people consider is that if you have a fleet of mismatched laptops you're going to spend a lot of time and/or storage space sorting out which power supply goes to what and it's going to take a lot longer to build a single image that's going to work well for all of them (regardless of OS).
We're doing a pilot class with Chromebooks this semester, but we have to buy most of those ourselves. We've found that it's often easier to get a donation of an old Mac laptop than ~$220.
[+] [-] yaur|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] w1ntermute|11 years ago|reply
Because no true developer would write code on anything else /s
[+] [-] Johnythree|11 years ago|reply
They must have something to believe in, and to have hope for the future.
When I was a young bloke (Australia) the Tech schools offered great training courses, the employers were lined up on graduation day, and life-time employment was taken for granted.
These days, no one trains, the wages are ludicrous, and permanent employment is unheard of.
And yet employers complain that they can't get good engineers.
[+] [-] blaurenceclark|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Swizec|11 years ago|reply
Back home I organise javascript meetups and bloody hell, I can't even get college students majoring in CS to attend. We manage to get a couple seniors and such here and there, but freshmen might as well be unicorns.
But I digress. All I wanted to say was that I love this and I wish you all the best. Getting good youth support is important for any field that doesn't want to die.
[+] [-] blaurenceclark|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kelukelugames|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dang|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 6nne|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] blaurenceclark|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 2close4comfort|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gdi2290|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dang|11 years ago|reply
This sounds like a great program for kids and we wish it all the best, but HN users are hyper-allergic to the tiniest traces of astroturfing and its byproducts. For best results—including not getting downvoted, flamed, or complained about to HN moderators—you're best off just letting the content speak for itself. Good luck!
[+] [-] unknown|11 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] hustlingsmurf|11 years ago|reply