[Edu-sig] A suggestion for a high school programming project

[Arthur]

> 
> This reminds me of one of the first commercial software projects I did
> (when I was 21)
> for my Dad who had an Analog ASIC design business. 

My dad made mattresses.  

A softer matter ;).

But at least it gave me some sense - in more of a 19th century way - of
machines being used to help make things that were useful in basic ways.  My
friends (in our middle class community) whose fathers were more likely
things like salesmen, or bureaucrats, never got exposed to even that much.

Even doing something like working on cars in a serious way was considered
"working class".  

We were encouraged to be "highly educated". Which involved not knowing too
much about anything.

And doing quite fine in school as a result ;). 

There was never a problem or conflict.  In fact the curriculum seems to have
evolved to accommodate the culture out of which I came.  Soft subjects
became the core curriculum, it seems.  So kids of mattress makers, and
salesmen, and bureaucrats did just fine.  And with no need to get grease on
their hands.

Yes, I guess I have become a bit of a reactionary, as a result.
 
Art