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My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

blog.jonasoberg.net

1–10 of 98 posts

Re: My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

#3
"And we need to adapt our thinking accordingly: we don't need free and open source software and copyleft so that the next generation can hack the Linux kernel; we need it so they can hack a flying car."

Jesus, if there was ever anything that shouldn't be developed like the Linux kernel, it is anything in the air large enough to cause damage if it crashes.

Re: My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

#4
While I like the sentiment - hacking a flying car seems like a terrible example! Regulations on any flying passenger transport don't seem like they would, or should, ever allow this to happen.

Hacking around on the flying car's infotainment systems, suitably isolated from the rest of the flying car's systems - sure.

Re: My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

#5

"And we need to adapt our thinking accordingly: we don't need free and open source software and copyleft so that the next generation can hack the Linux kernel; we need it so they can hack a flying car." Jesus, if there was ever anything that shouldn't be developed like the Linux kernel, it is anything in the air large enough to cause damage if it crashes.

Having the same license and freedoms != being developed the same way.

Re: My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

#6
Meh.

Summary - we need open-source licenses for flying cars, so our children can tinker with the kernel code, since the current Liunx kernel is too complex for children starting out.

I've always wondered about teaching Linux "history" via hands-on with older hardware and OS (like 2.x kernel building on an older version of Slackware with a 486 or Pentium 90).

Re: My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

#7
You can help them understand by writing and submitting documentation. Let's be honest, the linux kernel documentation mostly sucks and (more commonly) doesn't exist.

PS Don't underestimate children. Some will learn C.

Re: My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

#8
Children growing up today won't learn C programming by reading the Linux kernel source code.

With any luck, children growing up today won't learn C at all, or at least ONLY for historical understanding. It is an absolute security nightmare. Do we not want the next generation to exclusively use safe languages?

Re: My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

#9
post #4

While I like the sentiment - hacking a flying car seems like a terrible example! Regulations on any flying passenger transport don't seem like they would, or should, ever allow this to happen. Hacking around on the flying car's infotainment systems, suitably isolated from the rest of the flying car's systems - sure.

I think a better argument, with the same sentiment, is allowing farmers to fix their own equipment. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/06/nebraska...

That we're not able to fix and maintain equipment that we, as consumers (I'm not a farmer), purchase is downright silly at best and dangerous at worst.

Re: My Kid Will Never Hack Linux

#10
post #8

Children growing up today won't learn C programming by reading the Linux kernel source code. With any luck, children growing up today won't learn C at all, or at least ONLY for historical understanding. It is an absolute security nightmare. Do we not want the next generation to exclusively use safe languages?

Then we need a 'safe' language that has the performance characteristics of C or assembly. Not there yet?
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