Live data from Hacker News

Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

finance.yahoo.com

91–99 of 99 posts

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#91
post #81
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't have unlimited resources. I work to keep my family afloat. I don't let my kids be on the iPad so I can get on with work. It's not a practical solution, it's an _easy_ solution. I'm sorry the article makes you feel like a bad parent, but don't go into denial mode to make yourself feel better about what you're doing.

You have absolutely no idea about family situation or financial situation or where parent commenter live (and in which circumstances), yet you indirectly call she/him bad parent and accuse she/him of denial. And yet looks like you 100% sure that you solution of blocking access to iPads is the best solution for kids. By the way, by blocking access to iPad, in your opinion, what exactly you achieved?

I don't presume anything about their situation, but I know about mine, and my parents before me. My situation could have been described as difficult by most. This (and where and how I grew up) means I have little sympathy for people with excuses.

I'm not saying this to put people down, but drag them up. Don't let excuses limit you. Those where I grew up who did, are still there. I my comment back and I definitely came across too strong, and think this is a sore point for me.

> By the way, by blocking access to iPad, in your opinion, what exactly you achieved?

Wouldn't have gotten into it because I know it's divisive without being constructive, but since you ask; I believe what we're doing to our kids as a society by allowing them consumer devices like the iPad will only be felt fully in 10-15 years from now. I think it's turning the next generation into people who can't take discomfort, quiet, or a still mind — and that's the tip of the iceberg.

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#94

Did either of these billionaire's do much actual parenting in the same way us non-billionaires do?

You need not spend a lot of time, couple of high-quality hours a day suffice. Considering billionaires have to spend 0 hrs on chores and setup, it should be entirely possible.

Is that a joke?

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#95
post #87

The only trouble I have with all of this is that I became who I am by being obsessed with my computer. I’m fairly confident many people on this site would not have become software engineers if not for playing hours of counter strike for mouse skills, mmos for touch typing and editing files and installing scripts. The computer (and the internet) is different now, but the new things are additions. We definitely can nur…

I empathize with the sentiment, but we grew up in a different ecosystem. (I’ve assumed your age bracket a bit judging from the comment.)

The lack of online ‘low effort’ content to consume was part of why the tool itself was fascinating. “Okay, what is this terminal thing for?” is something that happens _in boredom_. Your curiosity has space to come up if you’re not constantly overloaded with content to consume.

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#96
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you think developers built programs pre google/stack-overflow? i.e. early to late 90's.

It was hard and less people did it.

The people who declared themselves developers/programmers weren't just serial copy/pasters that is for sure.

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anyone can program without an internet connection. You just need the local documentation.

Local documentation does not exist anymore, in a practical form. You need the official docs plus countless other resources from other people and for a relevant version of your software. Gone are the days a few books and a computer was all you needed. Your compiler is spilling out some weird message? Go scavenge the interwebs for someone who figured it out or spend your whole weekend in that.

If you can't understand the messages from your complier or need other resources from people that you can't find in the doc, either the language/compiler you are using is crappy and you should use a real one, either you aren't a developer but a copy/paster that pretend to be one.

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#98

The problem with this type of article is that Jobs and Gates have no real world limitations whatsoever. They can do anything with their kids and it won't matter. So that's not relatable to me as a person not in that position. Example: pretend Gates & Jobs decided to remove their kids from school and teach them full time to be musicians. Completely impractical for me and would not set my kids up for success financiall…

The boredom itself that is solution. They moan for 5 minutes then find something useful to do.

Same like you going on a walk without a phone. It opens your mind.

Post reply on HN