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Ask Slashdot: Software For Learning About Data Transmission?

Posted by timothy on from the take-this-string-and-those-cans dept.

bellwould writes "In teaching information tech to a 13-year-old with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), I've found she's wildly interested in the details of data transmission but not programming. We've had limited success with command-line tools like traceroute and tcpdump, but now I'm seeking tips/advice on software that may help her explore and visualize things like transmission protocols." What would you recommend?

1 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. To me it sounds like she doesn't know what she... by blahplusplus · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    ... really wants.

    You said: "We've had limited success with command-line tools like traceroute and tcpdump,"

    Well if she was REALLY interested she would want to know EVERYTHING about it, including the boring parts. Perhaps her interest is misplaced and she doesn't fully grasp that fact?

    I mean I was a tinkerer as a kid I had to learn everything about computers by reading things like manuals (I read the dos manual!) and once you learn a few things and mess around the rest becomes second nature the more you do it. If she really DOES have the 'tinkering' gene then she will tinker and learn on her own. An interest as (seemingly) ephemeral as your daughters doesn't seem to me to be very valid. She doesn't seem to be mature enough to understand she's not really as interested as she says she is.

    You may have to wait a couple more years if there is anything there. I would venture anyone who is truly interested in a thing doesn't give up so easily.