Something I'm interested in is a knock-about computer for child with a text editor and a programming language. Robust enough to put in a pocket. A hinge, or larger machine, or something more expensive, would be too risky. A Raspberry Pi is great and cheap but a bit fiddly.
Of course the 'computer' experience should be more diverse thant this, but having a dedicated machine feels like the equivalent of having book without distractions.
When I was a child I had a second-hand BBC Micro for distraction-free programming. We had a Mac for other fun stuff, but I kept coming back to the BBC. I'd love to be able to provide that experience.
The keyboard looks unsuitable for programming (even though it has the squishy lineage of the ZX Spectrum), but I'm very tempted.
I also desire the ideal of education for children, so am perhaps biased, but genuinely I believe it is an underserved market. Look at the cash flowing at Makeblock and similar startups. It's definitely something that could work, if the ecosystem / materials are substantial enough. Consider BASIC era: C64, etc. It's workable. There will always be a need for low level comprehension. ASM is a thought process, not a skill per se. Co-develop an oldies interface as a replacement for Sodoku, with Zachtronics to broaden the market. AFAIK this would really gel with: eg. Jaron Lanier, Alak Kay.
If there’s any object in human experience that’s a precedent for what a computer should be like, it’s a musical instrument: a device where you can explore a huge range of possibilities through an interface that connects your mind and your body, allowing you to be emotionally authentic and expressive. - Jaron Lanier
Inverse vandalism: Making things just because you can. - Alan Kay
Adults think that the best thing you can do for a child is to turn the child out like them. Think about that, that's got to be one of the dumbest ideas ever. - Alan Kay
By far the best way to invent a healthy future is to invent the children who will invent it. - Alan Kay
I made up these slogans because I discovered most adults couldn't deal with paragraphs. - Alan Kay
Of course the 'computer' experience should be more diverse thant this, but having a dedicated machine feels like the equivalent of having book without distractions.
When I was a child I had a second-hand BBC Micro for distraction-free programming. We had a Mac for other fun stuff, but I kept coming back to the BBC. I'd love to be able to provide that experience.
The keyboard looks unsuitable for programming (even though it has the squishy lineage of the ZX Spectrum), but I'm very tempted.