AL MUD is made specifically for Ashavar's Legacy, but I use it for all the MUDs I poke around in. Its a pretty solid client all around, plus its freeware and it has both Windows and console linux versions.
You might want to show the older kids some games...if they really have interest, as I did, they'll be completely wowed by what people can crank out. When you're young like that, the most tangible evidence of the benefits of programming in one way or another can bring is a flashy 3d game. Of course, this IS a career day...don't know how you'd get a game in to show em. Heh. A look at a coding environment seems like a good idea to me too, so they can see what you really do your work in.
If you have any particularly interested kids, you might want to show them snippets of code, or provide some insight on how to get started. I remember when I looked into programming, finding good resources to help out and provide a good introduction to the entire world of programming in all its forms was very difficult. Showing how easy it is to get started with BASIC in one of its forms, new and old (I did my very first programming in QBASIC), might be a good idea too.
Dunno if all this would be overstepping the bounds given to you, but this sort of stuff is what interested me when I first thought about programming.
You're kind of pointing out the wrong thing. He didn't quite mean that along the lines of "No one knows how to get out and live in the wilderness!" or "We'll all die without electricity!" but more like "It fuels our society," which it does.
Yes, this may be another dastardly Microsoft ploy to gain more converts, but lets not forget the end result: these non-profit organizations get software. We can't complain too much about that, can we? Maybe fight fire with fire -- it can't be too hard, seeing as "our" software is just as free as Microsoft's when they donate?
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The 3-rocket rocket launcher is still there.
Looks like you haven't played CTF/DM yet...
AL MUD is made specifically for Ashavar's Legacy, but I use it for all the MUDs I poke around in. Its a pretty solid client all around, plus its freeware and it has both Windows and console linux versions.
http://www.ashavar.com/client/
You might want to show the older kids some games...if they really have interest, as I did, they'll be completely wowed by what people can crank out. When you're young like that, the most tangible evidence of the benefits of programming in one way or another can bring is a flashy 3d game. Of course, this IS a career day...don't know how you'd get a game in to show em. Heh. A look at a coding environment seems like a good idea to me too, so they can see what you really do your work in.
If you have any particularly interested kids, you might want to show them snippets of code, or provide some insight on how to get started. I remember when I looked into programming, finding good resources to help out and provide a good introduction to the entire world of programming in all its forms was very difficult. Showing how easy it is to get started with BASIC in one of its forms, new and old (I did my very first programming in QBASIC), might be a good idea too.
Dunno if all this would be overstepping the bounds given to you, but this sort of stuff is what interested me when I first thought about programming.
You're kind of pointing out the wrong thing. He didn't quite mean that along the lines of "No one knows how to get out and live in the wilderness!" or "We'll all die without electricity!" but more like "It fuels our society," which it does.
Yes, this may be another dastardly Microsoft ploy to gain more converts, but lets not forget the end result: these non-profit organizations get software. We can't complain too much about that, can we? Maybe fight fire with fire -- it can't be too hard, seeing as "our" software is just as free as Microsoft's when they donate?