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Show HN: Pickcode – Free online code editor for kids

pickcode.io

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Re: Show HN: Pickcode – Free online code editor for kids

#11

Post by csmeyer »

RodgerTheGreat wrote: post #10
csmeyer wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Basically just a lot simpler. Replit has a million features (and AI ghostwriter) that in my experience are distracting for kids (I used to be a teacher and still tutor kids 1:1)

It really bums me out how Repl.it has evolved from its beginnings as a simple, free, accessible-anywhere programming scratchpad into a heinously complex cloud-persisted SaaS product. Have you considered offering a version of your product that doesn't persist anything- or perhaps persists snippets in URI parameters or localStorage- and which can be used without an account? It would meaningfully lower barriers to entry…

If you go to https://app.pickcode.io/lessons you can do some free Pickcode VL lessons without an account. Later this year we’ll probably add some Python or Javascript to that page too. URI storage would be neat!

Re: Show HN: Pickcode – Free online code editor for kids

#12

Post by csmeyer »

chaosprint wrote: post #8

Great project! I'm curious if the main customers are from the US? I'm asking because I'm the author of https://glicol.org/ and I have a similar app where teachers can see students' progress and students can form bands. But when I tried to commercialize it, I found that it was almost impossible to sell to schools in Northern Europe. The overall process was very slow and conservative. Almost everyone recommended that I…

Our customers are split between the US and Europe. There are a lot of decision makers in the process who need to approve a purchase at school, so things are pretty time consuming.

Re: Show HN: Pickcode – Free online code editor for kids

#14

Post by whitten »

csmeyer wrote: post #12
chaosprint wrote: post #8

Great project! I'm curious if the main customers are from the US? I'm asking because I'm the author of https://glicol.org/ and I have a similar app where teachers can see students' progress and students can form bands. But when I tried to commercialize it, I found that it was almost impossible to sell to schools in Northern Europe. The overall process was very slow and conservative. Almost everyone recommended that I…

Our customers are split between the US and Europe. There are a lot of decision makers in the process who need to approve a purchase at school, so things are pretty time consuming.

How long from Salesguy to Cashguy ?

I know that for hospitals it is a minimum of 18 months assuming no large purchasing process like RFPs or RFQs. Personally I am surprised when it takes less than 3 years

Re: Show HN: Pickcode – Free online code editor for kids

#16

Post by wonger_ »

I like it! I fiddled around for a couple minutes. The UI is surprisingly non-buggy. I like how the code editor treats lines as draggable widgets, and I like the limited syntax selection. Props for focusing on school licenses and making individual accounts free.

Just a couple thoughts:

- maybe use horizontal editor splits by default when the screen aspect ratio is less than 1 (ie. for vertical mobile screens)

- shouldn't `math` be treated like other namespaces in the `call` menu? Eg. formatted with ellipses like `math...`, and offering a menu of functions right after being selected?

- any plans to make more detailed/friendly error messages? Eg. "Type error, invalid function call" feels a bit useless for a beginner

- any real-world examples of programs that kids have written?

- any plans to convert seamlessly between Pickcode's language, Python, and JS? Essentially being different views of the same program, for when the kid is ready to try another language.

And a bit unrelated, but any thoughts on Mark Rober's take on code editors? https://youtu.be/1j1kAuqePJo?si=6GtQPVgsFgUtGPw-&t=1109 Obviously not as fleshed out or beginner-friendly as yours, but I think the tiered approach is interesting.

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