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Processors Under Pillows

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Re: Processors Under Pillows

#21

Post by xvf22 »

55873445216111 wrote: post #2

* One such trick was the restart DoS attack. It’s simple really. shutdown /r /m \\IPAddress /t 0 * Today in schools, this would sadly get you expelled for "computer network hacking".

Hazy memory but I forged the NetWare login screen to grab admin password then replaced the original login process with one that logged all logins. Was a moron and left a printout somewhere and I was the first suspect. Had a good relationship with the compsci teachers so I somehow ended up getting a shared office and got paid by the school to secure their systems.

Re: Processors Under Pillows

#22

Post by sandworm101 »

fouc wrote: post #16
yarcob wrote: post #14

I've tried to get my kids into tinkering with computers by showing them how to write Python code (with Thonny) and installing lots of programs for drawing etc. They are curious, and they do tinker with stuff when I'm there, but about 10 minutes after I leave the room they'll find a way to watch cartoons. Somehow the internet has become this huge distraction and mostly just a replacement for a TV. I kinda miss what it…

Turn off internet then. A computer with a bunch of tools to play with and documentation, and no internet.

https://xkcd.com/466/

"Moving: There are few forces more powerful than geeks desperately trying to get internet in a new apartment."

If my parents turned off the internet, or just blocked youtube, my #1 mission would be to restore that service by whatever means possible.

Re: Processors Under Pillows

#23

Post by brianush1 »

sandworm101 wrote: post #22
fouc wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Turn off internet then. A computer with a bunch of tools to play with and documentation, and no internet.

https://xkcd.com/466/ "Moving: There are few forces more powerful than geeks desperately trying to get internet in a new apartment." If my parents turned off the internet, or just blocked youtube, my #1 mission would be to restore that service by whatever means possible.

Restoring the internet would be a pretty geeky and tinker-y mission on its own

Re: Processors Under Pillows

#24

Post by xyanb »

brianush1 wrote: post #23
sandworm101 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://xkcd.com/466/ "Moving: There are few forces more powerful than geeks desperately trying to get internet in a new apartment." If my parents turned off the internet, or just blocked youtube, my #1 mission would be to restore that service by whatever means possible.

Restoring the internet would be a pretty geeky and tinker-y mission on its own

Agreed! I had a recent experience with no internet and was running around my house yanking coax cables, checking my electrical cupboard and whacking the router.

Turns out, there was a line issue outside my house :P

Re: Processors Under Pillows

#26

Post by rzzzt »

NhanH wrote: post #9

When I was 10, I painted all the light on my computer case black with watercolor so I can keep it running to download Mandrake linux without my mom noticing —- it would take more than a day to download with a 56kbps connection. Somehow she did find out in just a few hours, may be I should ask her how :-) I also had the windows key memorized just like the author does. But it was windows 98, and I can’t recall it now.…

FCKGW or something else?

I also don't remember this one, but I have a Soldier of Fortune CD key committed to long term memory for some inexplicable reason!

Re: Processors Under Pillows

#27

Post by shorts_theory »

This reminds my childhood computer stories and how I got into using Linux in 10th grade. My parents installed the K9 Website blocker on Windows which was (is?) a pretty strong domain blocking tool. Let alone anything NSFW, Youtube and Facebook were blocked too! I learned a bit about dual booting online and with a freshly burned CD of Ubuntu 12.04, I was determined not to screw things up. I was pretty happy I installed Ubuntu safely and it was a relief to find that the parental website blockers of Windows had no equivalents on Ubuntu. I often think that I probably wouldn't have had a headstart on using Linux and programming had it not been for wanting to circumvent website blocking tools.

Re: Processors Under Pillows

#28

Post by olyjohn »

NhanH wrote: post #9

When I was 10, I painted all the light on my computer case black with watercolor so I can keep it running to download Mandrake linux without my mom noticing —- it would take more than a day to download with a 56kbps connection. Somehow she did find out in just a few hours, may be I should ask her how :-) I also had the windows key memorized just like the author does. But it was windows 98, and I can’t recall it now.…

LOL in 9th grade, my dad took away my computer for getting bad grades. He took just the tower and stashed it in his bedroom.

My workaround was to open up the case while he was gone, and take all the components out of it. I took the Power supply, hard drive, motherboard, and all the components except floppy drive and CDROM, since those were visually external. Basically he had an empty ATX case sitting in his room.

I packed all that hardware into my backpack, no static bags, no boxes, just that hardware flopping around in my bag... I took it went to my friends house and just would go over there and use it after school instead. When it was time to get it back, I loaded all my hardware back in, and he never found out...

Re: Processors Under Pillows

#29

Post by slifin »

yarcob wrote: post #14

I've tried to get my kids into tinkering with computers by showing them how to write Python code (with Thonny) and installing lots of programs for drawing etc. They are curious, and they do tinker with stuff when I'm there, but about 10 minutes after I leave the room they'll find a way to watch cartoons. Somehow the internet has become this huge distraction and mostly just a replacement for a TV. I kinda miss what it…

Something I'm noticing more and more is that programming is for the most part is not fun

Fun things are visual, immediate full of feedback and introspection, a sensible curve of difficulty and reward for effort

A raspberry pi doesn't spark joy, in fact most computers don't

I'm not exactly sure how we could do better but Bret Victor's talk inventing on principle and his other talks are always an inspiration

Re: Processors Under Pillows

#30

Post by slifin »

slifin wrote: post #29
yarcob wrote: post #14

I've tried to get my kids into tinkering with computers by showing them how to write Python code (with Thonny) and installing lots of programs for drawing etc. They are curious, and they do tinker with stuff when I'm there, but about 10 minutes after I leave the room they'll find a way to watch cartoons. Somehow the internet has become this huge distraction and mostly just a replacement for a TV. I kinda miss what it…

Something I'm noticing more and more is that programming is for the most part is not fun Fun things are visual, immediate full of feedback and introspection, a sensible curve of difficulty and reward for effort A raspberry pi doesn't spark joy, in fact most computers don't I'm not exactly sure how we could do better but Bret Victor's talk inventing on principle and his other talks are always an inspiration

Along these lines I'm tempted to try out game maker studio 2 at some point, I think in code we rely way too much on text

I'd love lots of custom project specific UI in my ide showing all kinds of things to help me out with my larger projects

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