Topic: For Bonk...

[toasty0]

And anyone else interested in possibly extending MSN and or incorporating MSN into your development.

[Bonk]

Thanks, I'll take a look, but I have an allergy to MSN and IM software in general, it rots kids brains faster than TV. I like IRC, old-fashioned.. devil I know...

http://www.dynaverse.net/irc_chat.php

[E_Look]

[hijack]
 
Hey Bonk, Toasty, anyone else, in all seriousness, what's the difference among all of them, TV, IRC, IM, etc.?  They all can hook a kid's attention and destroy his desire to do anything else.

Now, I know this is primarily a game site, but here goes, anyway: just tonight, my kid is playing a board game with some other people.  They enjoy it so they keep at it.  Then dinnertime comes around and they have to clear the table.  They're so committed to finishing the game, that they very carefully move the board off.  My kid runs off in the five minutes he's got between setting the board down elsewhere and dinner starting to play one of these online kid traps, called Maple Story.  I mean, he's got just about literally five minutes and he has to go play it.  The game has sort of role play, materials and power acquisition, instant chat, etc.  You guys know the type.

The kid is hooked, really.  Now that school has started, he is forbidden to use his computer for ANY sort of gaming Mondays through Thursdays.  Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, he's allowed a maximum of two hours per day.  If I don't like what I see, it will be cut down, to nothing, if need be.

But this stuff IS as you said, brain rotting.  There are old activities neglected, some frivolous, some quite serious or important.  In all honesty, I sort of regret building him his computer.

I think socially, we have to rethink our private computer usage, both in terms of intent and time.
 
[/hijack]

[toasty0]

 Like any other form of entertainment it is either a tool or not.

At one time in some circles book learning was considered a waste of good time...of course that was before the Industrial age. This is a new age, E, instead of limiting your child's interaction with these new tools maybe you should explore ways for your child to exploit it for educational purposes. Right now, from what little I gather (and of course I could have a totlay wrong impression) your setting the computer up as a game only tool. We both know how off the mark that is...

[E_Look]

You're totally right about the last point.

The computer was intended for him not only to type out and store some of his assignments, but to allow him to use Google, etc., as per the very strong recommendations (really, overwhelming insistence) of his teachers as resources for papers, projects, etc., and for him to be able to (cheaply) communicate with his relatives and buddies.

Games were really a side intent.  Unfortunately, they are also the biggest draw in a computer for many kids... or even adults.  Look at the Dynaverse You Blew Up My Ship So I'm Going to Get Yours and Yo' Fleet Mama's Too threads.

You got any suggestions?  Right now, I'm kind of open...

... I still think BOOK reading is superior to reading some always questionable page in Wikipedia.

[toasty0]

You're totally right about the last point.

The computer was intended for him not only to type out and store some of his assignments, but to allow him to use Google, etc., as per the very strong recommendations (really, overwhelming insistence) of his teachers as resources for papers, projects, etc., and for him to be able to (cheaply) communicate with his relatives and buddies.

Games were really a side intent.  Unfortunately, they are also the biggest draw in a computer for many kids... or even adults.  Look at the Dynaverse You Blew Up My Ship So I'm Going to Get Yours and Yo' Fleet Mama's Too threads.

You got any suggestions?  Right now, I'm kind of open...

... I still think BOOK reading is superior to reading some always questionable page in Wikipedia.

I think you and him need to know where he wants to go (in life, goals, interests. IE, if he likes games then how about game physics, coding, art design...ect.). My nephew started out playing games on his PC and my brother wisely encouraged and guided his interest. He is now starting his freshman year in architecture school--and all because he thought it was cool how they designed them buildings in that game at the age of 12. Now maybe my brother got lucky, but I think not. I think my brother just saw the tool for what it was and used it accordingly.