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Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

lostlanguageofthemachines.com

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Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#31

Post by thenewwazoo »

yawl wrote: post #22
card_zero wrote: post #14

The text message conversations between the chapters are good. The chapters themselves are oddly twee, as if written in the 1950s. I think it's the parts where you talk to the reader in the present tense, to directly describe the characters, that give that impression. It's kind of babying for something generally written at a YA level. In fact you mix present and past tense from the first paragraph, that's not good, ch…

Thanks for the feedback. I have never done anything like this before so there are tons of mistakes. The flipping thing will generate a time sequence, I find it hard to explain myself.

This is a great start and the feedback you’re getting is given with good intention. Don’t get discouraged! :)

Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#33

Post by lionkor »

yawl wrote: post #29
lionkor wrote: post #8

IMO its far too technical for an actual child to want to get into. Starting at a higher level of abstraction would be easier for them

how about 5th grader or above?

definitely still way too dry. Ive tutored a kid in math, a very smart one, and even then, its difficult to explain new stuff without resorting to real storytelling and analogies. "Little bob finds an integral and correctly sees that the upper and lower bounds are [2, 3)" is not storytelling.

Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#34

Post by antfarm »

Interesting that it starts with the representation of data.

Too many introductions to computing and programming leave this fundamental part out and concentrate mostly on the imperative part, i.e. instructing the computer to perform actions in an already existing world.

Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#35

Post by simonbarker87 »

Nice idea but I think it’s going to be pretty tough going for a kid. Have you had any children of your target age group read it? Ultimately our opinions don’t matter, those of your target demographic do so you need to get feedback from them before you do any more writing.

To give you a concrete example of where I think you’ll miss children would be using the phrase Number System. I get what that means but to children that is just Counting.

Also “carbon-titanium” is there to sound futuristic I assume? It doesn’t paint a picture in a kids head (it barely does in my adult brain) instead use colour and adjectives “hard shiny”, “shimmery black”, “echoey iridescent” etc. the aim is to paint a fleeting picture with words, not describe an accurate representation.

Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#36

Post by getwiththeprog »

nsonha wrote: post #25
card_zero wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it doesn't appear until page 26 of The Beginner's computer handbook https://archive.org/details/beginnerscompute0000unse/page/26... Or page 10 of Inside the Chip, illustrated with Tron cycles https://archive.org/details/insidechip00hele/page/10/mode/2u... It's on the cover of Machine code for beginners, but nobody read that one first. (It's available in full though, BTW.) https://archive.org/details/machine-cod…

I have a computer science degree. The point is: binary is a boring thing and some what irrelevant to the computer CONCEPT, it only becomes relevant when you delve into logical gates and and stuff. It's weird that someone would approach a book for kids the same way they do for adults. Instead of painting a top-down, inspiring picture, they start with some boring building block that's arguably not even on the critical…

I think it is fine to start with binary. But what I need is REALLY simple examples of constructing with binary.

Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#37

Post by getwiththeprog »

Aeolun wrote: post #24
xandrius wrote: post #15

This is for geeky parents who think their kid will absolutely totally get it. Starting with binary (wonderfully pointless), exponentials and walls of text just show how this is not actually for kids.

Yeah, I was hoping for more pictures and about two lines of text per page. This will work when he’s 15 or so.

I second that, a few lines per page is all I (um, I mean my kids?) can handle!

Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#38

Post by getwiththeprog »

I like the motivation. I do not think the 'story' adds to the goal you seek to achieve.

The characters you have invented would suit a picture book. Yet the math and concepts you offer suit an older teen or adult.

Think again about your audience, and either offer a very simple and well explained text for upper teens, or a really dumbed down picture book for primary school.

Keep with it, go iteratively to seek regular feedback. Put it on Tik-Tok or some place you can reach out to the target audience.

Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#39

Post by xandrius »

geraldwhen wrote: post #27
Aeolun wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I was hoping for more pictures and about two lines of text per page. This will work when he’s 15 or so.

You can hand a teen a college textbook and they’ll flourish if they have interest. There’s no audience here, sadly. Kids are smarter than you think. A 7 year old could certainly follow anything, given the right instruction. If I can teach a 7 year old long division, I can teach them how a JK flip flop works.

The main question would then be: why would anyone want to learn about flip flops. I dabble in Embedded Systems, prototype boards and the likes and still never really needed to know electronics as deeply as I had to study it at school. The need started and stopped at intellectually pleasing my teacher enough to get the grades I wanted.

Same with knowing how to use binary, I'd say outside of the education system, probably less than 1% of people ever need that type of knowledge. But most need problem solving skills and that's still not as readily taught unfortunately.

/edu-rant

Re: Show HN: A storybook designed to teach kids about how computers work

#40

Post by Aeolun »

geraldwhen wrote: post #27
Aeolun wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I was hoping for more pictures and about two lines of text per page. This will work when he’s 15 or so.

You can hand a teen a college textbook and they’ll flourish if they have interest. There’s no audience here, sadly. Kids are smarter than you think. A 7 year old could certainly follow anything, given the right instruction. If I can teach a 7 year old long division, I can teach them how a JK flip flop works.

> A 7 year old could certainly follow anything, given the right instruction.

Sure, given enough interest. If I ask my 5 year old to figure out which Beyblade is strongest I’m sure he’ll keep at it for hours.

If I read him a story about something sciency it’s about 2 lines per page.

If I try to teach him the alphabet it’s a struggle to get even a single letter down.

Part of teaching effectively is knowing what you can get away with.

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