Kids can't use computers and this is why it should worry you (2013)

jmclnx · 2025-04-10T13:53:39 1744293219

>Mobile has killed technical competence. We now all carry around computers that pretend to be mobile phones or tablets

To me this is a thing, I wonder how may kids out there hack their Computers if they even have one.

In spite of AI, I expect a huge shortage of real programmers in 10 years or so and the teenagers of the 90s start retiring.

nkassis · 2025-04-10T14:01:02 1744293662

I have a hypothesis that the proportion of really nerdy kids that take to technology hasn't changed and it was always a subset of society. People with affinity for understanding their computer and that find technical concepts natural may just be the oddballs.

My son has found his way to it from watching youtube videos on history of computer viruses. I think it's the path from Minecraft, Minecraft hacks, Minecraft mods....

He recently asked me if we could install windows xp on virtual box like one of the youtuber he watches did. So we set that up. He has been watching youtube about secret features, testing them out and found out what happens when you delete random file in system32. He doesn't get why none of his friends understand anything he says to them about this stuff. In his mind he wonder why aren't they all watching this stuff? I had to explain he's got some pretty niche hobbies even by my standards.

fsflover · 2025-04-10T13:58:51 1744293531

This is why projects like Librem 5 and Pinephone as so important. Give one to your kid it they will learn computing.

ryzvonusef · 2025-04-10T13:52:14 1744293134

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6186730

HN thread last time this was posted (12-ish years ago)

things are worse now, I presume.

nepeckman · 2025-04-10T14:01:14 1744293674

You mean "first time" right? The last time this was posted was 3 months ago, posted 19 times total since 2013 if I counted correctly

gambiting · 2025-04-10T13:59:27 1744293567

Anecdote from a friend who teaches a CS course at local university - kids these days arrive at a CS course not knowing how to use a mouse. Well, they obviously understand a concept of a mouse, but actually having experience with using a mouse? None, unless they are a gamer(which tbf, a lot of CS students are). But they get put on a computer in a lab with a mouse and keyboard and some of them genuienly struggle with the mouse. The explanation is simple - desktops are nearly extinct in homes unless you play games(and even then, it's a rare choice), so people have laptops and just use the touchpad as the default method of interaction.

iwanttocomment · 2025-04-10T13:23:04 1744291384

Ah yes, an article from 2013. "It was a different time."

fsflover · 2025-04-10T13:51:12 1744293072

What has changed related to the topic? Can kids learn computers easily today? (No)

jmclnx · 2025-04-10T13:55:49 1744293349

I do not know.

I think all they are taught is Microsoft Office and Adobe products. How many kids/teenagers know what 0x20 is these days without doing a WEB search ?

confidantlake · 2025-04-10T13:58:30 1744293510

How many kids/teenagers knew this 20-30 years ago? Less than 5%?

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