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On 15/12/15 11:54, Paul Boddie wrote:
On Tuesday 15. December 2015 12.34.55 Paul Sutton wrote:
Kids ruby http://kidsruby.com/ is free software and has source code available, not sure if it is GPL 2 or 3, I think it may be.
Scratch is designed for complete beginners and ruby is a nice step up from that perhaps then python as the next step up from there.
I know that there is a certain amount of work going into Python-related projects in this area. There's Reeborg, for instance:
http://reeborg.ca/docs/en/ https://github.com/aroberge/reeborg
And the BBC Micro Bit will apparently support running Micropython:
http://micropython.org/ https://mail.python.org/pipermail/microbit/
Of course, the Micro Bit illustrates some of the problems faced when recommending technology: it's being developed in a closed project, it will only be generally available "at some point", and it might not be open hardware even after being made available for sale. (And a notorious proprietary software vendor is one of the project partners, of course.)
Maybe case studies are an interesting strategy for the flyer, although they may also seem like recommendations for those wanting a ready-to-use solution, and so caution is still required.
Paul
Indeed the microbit was due for release back in October but has been delayed, the 2nd issue is that it really could do with being in the hands of hackers / techies / teachers and certainly some of the more technically literate kids out there first so they can get used to using it and start forming a user support community before the main release. Just giving some to pi / tech jam type events would address thi s.
The Pi zero has kind of stolen the show on this, £4 each and given away on magazines a major coup, it is also proven technology, so what runs on the Pi will also run on the Pi zero so it is ideal for embedded systems. in that respect.
I think just as the facebook logo (for example) is widely recognised we need things like the open hardware logo equally out there so people see it and know what it means, and ideally understand what it means so we have a sort of open hardware certified, i think the Arduino fits this category.
I would much rather get behind the Pi / Arduino / Micropython boards which are open to everyone to get hold of,
Paul