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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">This is why I want to
make a local Makerspace in the Northampton-Holyoke-Amherst area.
If we had an electronics section, we could just collect people's
used PCs and other electronics and before long we would have
enough so that all you might need is a hard drive or more recent
CPU or compatible memory, not everything. <br>
Some libraries are branching out into makerspaces. We could
create a system where people could donate electronics they are not
using and pick up used parts that people need. Because it is
often difficult to find the right memory to match a motherboard,
we could have a similar system as the inter-library loan program,
only for used electronics. Just an idea. <br>
I agree that the raspberry pi is not fast enough for use as your
main PC - still useful for exploring electronics though.<br>
</font>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Aaron E-J
The Other Realm
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://otherrealm.org">http://otherrealm.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://theotherrealm.org">http://theotherrealm.org</a> (Blog)</pre>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2021-06-21 3:07 PM, Everything
Computers via Hidden-discuss wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAA8MAxoAsM2En2bOmVqjBC+poKxNsN658u6M-0F9hnHrErSP8g@mail.gmail.com">
<div dir="ltr">NOAH
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I have a collection of computer parts to get him started, I
can provide most of what he needs to begin anyway.</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Jun 21, 2021 at 2:10
PM Alex at Just Peachy via Hidden-discuss <<a
href="mailto:hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net"
moz-do-not-send="true">hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div dir="auto">Robert, I’m not sure the several decades
long debate about whether video games are a worthwhile
hobby or not is relevant to Noah’s question.</div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">Noah, it sounds like you’re on the right
track in engaging with your son’s hobbies. Picking
parts and building a PC can be a simple but rewarding
learning experience - certainly one lots of adults
never even attempt - that will help him understand the
basics of how a computer works.</div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">Of course there’s nothing against
picking up a Raspberry Pi and encouraging an interest
in computing your son might have, but it seems that’s
separate from your original question and not something
I would recommend as an equivalent alternative to what
your son is asking for. </div>
<div dir="auto"><br>
</div>
<div dir="auto">I wish I could provide some insight on
local computer parts swaps or shops, but there aren’t
any I’m aware of. If they existed in the past, I’m
worried they went the way of RadioShack. </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Jun 21,
2021 at 11:47 AM Robert Heller <<a
href="mailto:heller@deepsoft.com"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">heller@deepsoft.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote">I think the point
is to re-direct the kid away from "mindless"
video games... <br>
:-) <br>
<br>
There is actually very little in the way of a
"learning experience" in <br>
building a x86 PC. Modern x86 PC hardware is
very integrated -- modern <br>
motherboards have everything already on them.
You just need to install the <br>
processor and memory, install the motherboard in
the chassis, install the <br>
power supply and the hard drive, connect all of
the cables and that is all <br>
there is.<br>
<br>
And there are a few video games available for
the 'Pi, and *even better* the <br>
kid can learn to write his own video games...
(Hint: included in the Scratch <br>
examples are some "classic" video games: PacMan
and Pong. I also have a <br>
Scratch implementation of Breakout, Asteroids,
and Missle Command.)<br>
<br>
<br>
At Mon, 21 Jun 2021 11:16:02 -0500 Alex at Just
Peachy <<a href="mailto:alex@justpeachy.io"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">alex@justpeachy.io</a>>
wrote:<br>
<br>
> <br>
> A Raspberry Pi is undoubtedly a great
learning tool, but a poor choice if<br>
> your son wants to be able to play video
games on his computer.<br>
> <br>
> On Mon, Jun 21, 2021 at 11:11 AM Robert
Heller via Hidden-discuss <<br>
> <a
href="mailto:hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net</a>>
wrote:<br>
> <br>
> > Rather then build a x86 PC flavored
machine, you might want to steer him<br>
> > towards a Raspberry Pi. Not only will
the Raspberry Pi be well within his<br>
> > budget -- the base P4 w/2G is $35, and
a complete (except for monitor) P400<br>
> > kit (the P400 is a P4 inside a
keyboard, and the kit includes a mouse,<br>
> > power<br>
> > supply, and uSD card) is $100, it will
come with far more learning tools<br>
> > than<br>
> > a standard MS-Windows machine -- a
Raspberry Pi will include a C compiler,<br>
> > Python, Scratch, and Sonic Pi (and
yes, it will also have LibreOffice and<br>
> > Minecraft). Oh, P400 kit includes an
actual *book*, the ultimate learning<br>
> > tool.<br>
> ><br>
> > I don't know if there are any local
resources for any sort of computer<br>
> > parts,<br>
> > other than things like keyboards,
monitors, and mice ("locally" available<br>
> > from<br>
> > Walmart or Target, etc.). The OEMs and
Amazon, NewEgg, eBay, and big box<br>
> > stores have pretty much killed any
sort of mom-n-pop PC parts vendors and<br>
> > eBay<br>
> > has probably killed any sort of local
technology flea market. And least<br>
> > here<br>
> > in the local area. I don't know about
Springfield or Boston. Even Radio<br>
> > Shack<br>
> > died off and the Radio Shack
clone/replacements died off.<br>
> ><br>
> > At Mon, 21 Jun 2021 10:57:39 -0400
Noah Paessel <<a
href="mailto:knowuh@gmail.com" target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">knowuh@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
> ><br>
> > ><br>
> > > Hello Hidden Tech,<br>
> > ><br>
> ><br>
> > > My son, age 12, has expressed
interest in assembling his own PC this<br>
> > summer.<br>
> > > Instead of buying new parts from
Amazon or NewEgg, I want to persuade<br>
> > him to<br>
> > > purchase used components or new
parts from a local vendor.<br>
> > ><br>
> > > Is there a technology flea market
or swap that happens in the valley?<br>
> > > Barring that, are there any
mom-n-pop PC part vendors in the area that<br>
> > you<br>
> > > like?<br>
> > ><br>
> > > His goal is to have a machine he
can play games on, but I hope to use<br>
> > that<br>
> > > as the bait for an authentic
learning experience. I welcome any tips on<br>
> > how<br>
> > > to enrichen this summer project
for him.<br>
> > ><br>
> > > Thanks!<br>
> > ><br>
> > >  Noah<br>
> > ><br>
> > >
_______________________________________________<br>
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href="mailto:Hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">Hidden-discuss@lists.hidden-tech.net</a><br>
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> > ><br>
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> > --<br>
> > Robert Heller -- Cell:
413-658-7953 GV: 978-633-5364<br>
> > Deepwoods Software -- Custom
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-- <br>
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GV: 978-633-5364<br>
Deepwoods Software -- Custom Software
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