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Usborne 1980s computer programming books for kids become free downloads

usborne.com

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Re: Usborne 1980s computer programming books for kids become free downloads

#31

Post by antod »

Retr0spectrum wrote: post #16

Wow. "Introduction to Computer Programming" was quite literally my first intruduction to programming. I didn't have access to a computer until several years later, so I just wrote programs on a piece of paper.

The 9-12yr old me had at least 5 of the books shown on that page in the early 80s :)

All the coding/gaming I did on my Spectrum lying down in front of the living room TV gave me these rough 'carpet callouses' on my elbows. They took at least decade to go away after I moved on from the Spectrum.

Re: Usborne 1980s computer programming books for kids become free downloads

#32

Post by ratfacemcgee »

I used to take these books with me when I went on holidays to the country in Australia. There wasn't a computer there, so I would write down the code on sheets of paper so I could type them into my MicroBee when I got home.

These books are directly responsible for me being a programmer today!

Re: Usborne 1980s computer programming books for kids become free downloads

#33

Post by argimenes »

timthorn wrote: post #11
vidarh wrote: post #7

It's great enough that they've released them, but I love how they've used them as a draw to the page where they present their new/current computing books by presenting both on the same page instead of hiding them away somewhere.

I got the Computers and Coding flap book for my 6 year old this Christmas, and got second-hand copies of many of the original books for myself. It's striking how closely the new publication's content matches that of the older books, despite the changes in the industry. There are several other books from the Usborne 80's catalogue not shown on that page but worth having: Understanding the Micro, Usborne Guide to Compu…

It took me several passes at the Lifeline Book Fair and an occasional trip to Ebay but I think I have the entire range now.

The Usborne books were great fun at the time and still a model, I think, for teaching programming concepts to kids of all ages.

Re: Usborne 1980s computer programming books for kids become free downloads

#34

Post by bwldrbst »

timthorn wrote: post #11
vidarh wrote: post #7

It's great enough that they've released them, but I love how they've used them as a draw to the page where they present their new/current computing books by presenting both on the same page instead of hiding them away somewhere.

I got the Computers and Coding flap book for my 6 year old this Christmas, and got second-hand copies of many of the original books for myself. It's striking how closely the new publication's content matches that of the older books, despite the changes in the industry. There are several other books from the Usborne 80's catalogue not shown on that page but worth having: Understanding the Micro, Usborne Guide to Compu…

I'm pretty sure it was How to Make Computer Controlled Robots that I found in my school library as a kid and spent hours staring at, desperately wishing I had access to anything resembling a computer...

Re: Usborne 1980s computer programming books for kids become free downloads

#35

Post by nicky0 »

The "Computer Fun" book is what first taught me about programming, on the C64.

I remember typing in the program that tells you how old you will be in the year 2000. At the time it seemed unimaginable that I could ever be 21 years old!

Feeling very nostalgic looking through this.

Re: Usborne 1980s computer programming books for kids become free downloads

#37

Post by rcraggs »

I've created a github repo where we can rewrite all of the games in the "type it yourself" books in many different languages: https://github.com/rcraggs/Usborne-1980-Programming-Polyglot

Please go ahead and start to rewrite them in your favourite language or one that you want to learn.

The one I rewrote in python was surprisingly fun to play.

Re: Usborne 1980s computer programming books for kids become free downloads

#38

Post by hanezz »

dcw303 wrote: post #24

In the early 80s, when I was 5 or 6, I got Basic for Beginners and Programming Tricks and Skills (along with a couple of other Usborne books which were about video games) from my local K-Mart in rural Australia. These books kicked off my love affair with programming, and like many of you I was writing out code without even owning a computer! I remember trying to make a computer out of cardboard and graph paper, and w…

information was scarce indeed, till this day i still feel a little sorry i was not born 10 years later. Since when i learned (gw-)basic from the 3 books our public library had to offer i was full of enthusiasm, but after that my development practically stalled due to lack of information. Until the internet came around, but that was 10 years later and i was already in my early 20s :|
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