“Sometimes seemingly unrelated interests in my life overlap.
This happened to me recently when I read Guido van Rossum’s
proposal to teach computer programming for everybody (CP4E). At the
time, I had been listening to some insights Jon Young had into how
tribal people teach their children the vast amount of knowledge
they have about their environment….”
“Hacking is also a very complex art. Let me clarify that when I
use the term hacker, I do not mean a computer criminal. I use the
term in the same sense used in The Jargon File or New Hacker’s
Dictionary. Hackers in this sense are programming artists who
stretch their abilities and explore computing enthusiastically.
Hacking is the ultimate expression of the programmer-a skill that
involves mental acuteness, craft, and concentration.”
“For the most part, hackers have not been trained to be hackers.
Most have just taken to the medium enthusiastically, and over time
were recognized by other hackers. Schools have taught computing
as a science, but not as an art. Van Rossum suggests we teach basic
programming for everybody. He is on a scouting expedition for
future hackers.“