[vox] Linux Users' Group of Davis, Sept. 15: "Scratch: programming for children and other not-yet-programmers"

[nbs]

The Linux Users' Group of Davis (LUGOD) will be holding the following meeting:

  Monday
  September 15, 2014
  7:00pm - 9:00pm

Presentation:
  "Scratch: programming for children and other not-yet-programmers"

  presented by Bill Kendrick

  Scratch is a multimedia authoring tool that allows anyone to program
  interactive stories, games and animations. A project of the Lifelong
  Kindergarten group of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's
  Media Lab, it was designed especially for children ages 8 to 16, to
  help young people learn to think creatively, think systematically,
  and work collaboratively.

  Scratch is generally used via its website (it's an ActionScript
  application, requiring Adobe Flash). Users may sign up for the website
  and share their creations. However, registration is not required to
  use Scratch. Also, an offline version of the Scratch environment is
  available for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X.

  This presentation will be suitable for both children and adults
  (teachers, parents, would-be-programmers). In it, you'll learn about
  the rich history of languages that lead up to Scratch, how Scratch's
  graphical programming environment works, and learn some Scratch
  basics. We'll also write a simple game, to whet your appetite for
  programming!


About the speaker:

  Bill Kendrick grew up using Logo on Apple ][ computers in elementary
  school, and BASIC on an Atari 1200XL at home. After receiving a BS
  in Computer Science from Sonoma State University, he published an
  assortment of open source games and apps for Linux, including the
  popular children's drawing program Tux Paint, and worked in a variety
  of programming jobs (including both game and web development), and
  is currently acting as Chief Technology Officer of Smashwords, Inc.,
  the world's largest distributor of indie ebooks.

  Bill's 7 year old son recently began using Scratch, and in the course
  of 2 weeks, created (or at least started creating) over 2 dozen games
  and animations.


This meeting will be held at:

  Yolo County Public Library, Mary L. Stephens Davis Branch
  Blancard Meeting Room
  315 East 14th Street
  Davis, CA 95616


For more details on this meeting, visit:

  http://www.lugod.org/meeting/upcoming/#2014.09.15

For maps, directions, public transportation schedules, etc., visit:

  http://www.lugod.org/meeting/library/on.php

------------
About LUGOD:
------------

  The Linux Users' Group of Davis is a 501(c)7 non-profit organization
  dedicated to the Linux computer operating system and other Open Source
  and Free Software.

  Since 1999, LUGOD has held regular meetings with guest speakers
  in Davis, California, as well as other events in Davis and the greater
  Sacramento region.  Events are always free and open to the public.

  You can 'like' LUGOD on Facebook at:
  https://www.facebook.com/LinuxUsersGroupOfDavis
  join the LUGOD group on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lugod/
  and find us on LinkedIn at: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=35879

  Please visit our website for more details:  http://www.lugod.org/


-- 
Bill Kendrick
pr at lugod.org
Public Relations Officer
Linux Users' Group of Davis
http://www.lugod.org/

(Your address: vox at lists.lugod.org )