RE: Searching for blind programmer to start a school for blind programmers
- From: "Stanzel, Susan - Kansas City, MO" <susan.stanzel@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2011 11:22:56 -0500
Hi Listers,
I wrote this an hour ago, but either I have missed it or it didn't go where I
wanted it to. This is what I said and if you have already read it, thanks for
doing so.
This is Susie Stanzel. I have been reading this for almost 24 hours and now
would like to put in my 2 cents worth on this subject.
I have a similar experience as Jim Homme. I went to the blind school in Kansas
through nineth grade and then went to a huge high school. I then attended
Emporia State Teachers college and acquired a degree in business with an
emphasis in programming. I graduated in 1971. Now at this point we were using
punch cards. (grin grin). I think it was a great idea to go to a regular school
because a special school will not be accepted by the business community. They
will think you couldn't cut it in regular school. I think organizing something
using Skipe would be great. I think that was brought up at one time. Now what
do I think should be taught? I think students should go to a regular school to
learn programming. The school should be the best of breed for the specific
training desired. This should be how to use the accessible technology to use
the most commonly used software in the business community. For example, some of
us are using Eclipse and have enjoyed hearing from Jim Korbet on a Java list.
We need to know how to use this very well. Those sighted folks get to see a red
line when they type something wrong. That is called instant gradification. We
don't get to see such a thing. Now that I have been employed since August 9th
of 1971, for the first time I am feeling inadequate. In the old days my claim
to fame was my recall of what files came out of the system, how long they were
kept, and where they went after creation. Even though I could not read job
charts I memorized it. All those men in the white shirts and ties, in the olden
days, were thumbing through their printed job charts and I was already coming
up with the answer because I just had to sort through it in my mind. I haven't
said, but also like Jim Homme I have used COBOL for my entire career and now am
attempting "grin" to learn Java. What I would like to do is to learn enough
Java so I can compete and then go into more of the design part of an
application.
Well, there you have it. Please don't shoot the messenger (grin).
As a thought, I have had two jobs. The first one was at the City of Kansas City
Missouri and I wnet from there to the United States Department of Agriculture
in Kansas City Missouri. If I were not in this federal position I would have
been forced to retire when Java came along. I know many of you have responded
to this question. Do you work and where? Susie Stanzel
-----Original Message-----
From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bryan Garaventa
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 11:07 AM
To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Searching for blind programmer to start a school for blind
programmers
I believe the answer to 'why are there fewer when there is more access to
knowledge' has to do with an irony actually. In general things are much more
accessible than they used to be, and there are many more accessible
distractions available to everyone. Necessity drives innovation after all,
so if there is less necessity for the general population, less people will
be compelled to test the bounds of innovation.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Cox" <waywardgeek@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 8:20 AM
Subject: Re: Searching for blind programmer to start a school for blind
programmers
On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 9:58 AM, Ken Perry <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I think trying to just teach programming though is counterproductive
> because the classes in college do that rather well. I guess teaching
> people
> to use tools might be a better goal then teaching coding.
Well, you may be right. With the web, learning just about anything is
so much easier than when I was a kid. What remains a mystery to me is
why we're not seeing blind kids going nuts programming computers.
Surely they have plenty of access to them in the US. Is there
anything that can be done to inspire the new generation of blind kids
to dive in and learn what's under the hood? Why do so few seem to
make it?
Bill
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