this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2023
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The only advice I have is to try to make it interesting for them and not just additional practical information they have to memorize. You don't want to be the weird dad that insists on using stuff nobody else does, you have to show them what's cool about it, and also accept maybe they'll just stick with Windows for now.
I also think the main takeaway they should have out of it is that there's many ways of doing the same thing and none is "the correct and only way". They should learn to think critically, navigate unfamiliar user interfaces, learn some more general concepts and connect the dots on how things work, and that computers are logical machines, they don't just do random things because they're weird. Teach them the value of being able to dig into how it works even if it doesn't necessarily benefit them immediately.
Maybe set up a computer or VM with all sorts of WMs and DEs with the express permission to wreck it if they want, or a VM they can set up (even better if they learn they can make their own VMs as well!). Probably have some games on there as well. Maybe tour some old operating systems for the historical context of how we got where we are today. Show them how you can make the computers do things via a terminal and it does the same thing as in the GUI. Show different GUIs, different file managers, different text/document editors, maybe different DE's, maybe even tiling vs floating. What is a file, how are ways you can organize them, how you can move them around, how some programs can open other program's files.
Teach them the computer works for them not the other way around. They can make the computer do literally anything they want if they wish so. But it's okay to use other people's stuff too.
For me what planted the Linux seed is when I tried Mandrake Linux when I was 9-10ish. I didn't end up sticking with it for all that long, but I absolutely loved trying out all those DEs. I had downloaded the full fat 5 CD version and checked almost everything during setup, so it came jam packed with all sorts of random software to try out. The games were nice, played the shit out of Frozen Bubble. I really liked Konqueror too, coming from Internet Explorer. It was pretty snappy overall. And there's virtual desktops for more space! People were really helpful on IRC, even though I was asking about installing my Windows drivers in Wine. Unfortunately I kinda wanted games and my friends were getting annoyed we couldn't play games on my computer.
It stuck with me however, so later on when some of my online friends were trying it out, I wanted to try it out again too. I wasn't much into games anymore, had started coding a little bit. So on my computer went Kubuntu 7.10, and I'm still on Linux to this day.
But that seed is what taught me there's more. I didn't hate Windows, I wasn't looking to replace it. I hadn't fallen in love with FOSS yet. It was cool and different and fun. It wasn't as sterile and as... grey as Windows 98. You could pop up some googly eyes that followed your mouse, because you could. There were all those weird DEs with all sorts of bars and features.
This 👆. Be weird, but be cool at the same time. None of the other dads can do this, but yours can 🦸 ☺️... and, he can teach you how to do a lot more cool stuff as well 😉.
Maybe a Steam Deck if they're into gaming, boy do people love to tinker with their Decks.
But the deck can also be used for gaming with zero tinkering, so kids will do that.
Yes, he'll just drop into Steam when something gets too hard to acomplish. I wouldn't use the deck as a learning tool as well.
But when the time comes and the kid needs to write some assignments for school, you can be like Your Steam Deck can do that too, have a look at what this dock does
Imagine if handheld gaming is all they've ever used it and known it for, and all of a sudden you show them than it can be a full desktop experience, too
My mind would've been blown back when I was a kid
I love Linux gaming. Got the Steam deck for my SO. She kind of hates it BECAUSE it's not a no tinker device.
Like if you pick the right games you're good, but want to play the "wrong" game, or want to mod, and your back to tinkering.
I don't mind it at all, it's just what PC gaming has been for me my whole life, but for her, someone who only experienced gaming on newer consoles it's a pain in the tush.
This will come gradually. First, show him one way of doing things, let it sink in, let him get comfortable with it, then say "you know, you could do that in another way as well 😉". I bet he'll start asking you if there are other ways as well in no time 😂.
Thanks! This is really helpful.