FreeBSD and projects for kids

[Tim Holmes]

| I'm building a PC with my 10 year old niece.  Actually we are building
| several PC's out of junk parts that we have laying around the office.
| We are trying various OS's, including FreeBSD, on them. We are trying to
| get various devices to work: printers, scanners, sound cards,
| microphones, video boards, etc.  We're having fun (so far, at least.)
| She's learning a lot.
| 
| I've been looking around for a web site (or two) for young girls
| interested in computers.  I came across LinuxChix.org (and its defunct
| special interest group BSDchix.)  It has plenty of female role models,
| but, like FreeBSD-questions, it is a little too advanced for my niece.
| Googling a bit hasn't hit any gold mines for her. But see below.
| 
| Thus my questions:  any ideas for very elementary reading on computers
| for a 10 year old?  Any ideas for an appropriate web site for her?
| Anyone tried PicoBSD as an example of a "small OS"?    Can anyone advise
| me as to how much of FreeBSD I need to load before there are interesting
| games for 10 year olds in the games ports?   Other advice/ideas?
| 
| TIA,
| 
| -gayn
| 
| P.s. found:
| http://www.kidsdomain.com/brain/computer/lesson.html
| 
| 
| _______________________________________________
| freebsd-questions at freebsd.org mailing list
| http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions
| To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe at freebsd.org"
`------------------------------------------------------------------- 

There are some decent games in the ports list.  SuperTux isn't bad.
It's a lot like Super Mario 3, can be pretty fun.  I've played it with
a keyboard, but it would be ideal with a controller.  There's a network
Monopoly game that I've played with my sister on rainy days that can be
fun.  There's of course Free Civ, though not so sure a 10 year old
might enjoy.  Frozen-Bubble is a lot of fun.  A SDL game that FreeBSD
should be able to handle.  KDE has some games in their kdegames package
that can be entertaining.  There are a few network tetris or network
tetris like games.

Somebody else mentioned an IRC server or the like.  Would be good for
her and friends.  Could even let other parents know about it, and they
could use it for help on homework and the like.  And I'm sure there's
somebody around here that plays 3D accelerated games in FreeBSD that
might offer up some info as well.

I hope you find something that can capture her interests.  And if you
find something, put something together.  I'm sure there are a number of
parents and aunts and uncles that could benefit from what you find out.
Good luck, I hope it goes well.

tdh


-- 
 ----------------+-------------------------------------------------
       \./       |     Tim Holmes  --  em at il: tim at unixtechs.org
      (0Y0)      |         UIN: 17021091  -- AIM: tdh004
 -ooO--(_)--Ooo--+-------------------------------------------------