RE: Baby's first PC

["Alex Monaghan" <ha@xxxxxxx>]

> > At this age, the most important thing is getting the
attention,=20
> > interest and basic control of the PC.
>=20
> They've already mastered the Power switch on my main server :(

Lock & key on server room required :-) I've an old broken keyboard
sitting
on top of my very old Mac, this is a great decoy AND they love pressing the
keys !

> I thought about just attaching PC to TV, but am concerned=20
> that quality may not=20
> be high enough and that screenburn may ensure.
> OTOH, I _do_ want the tv to expire..... :)

I'm running through a 17" Fisher TV and quality is fine at 800*600,
many
games seem to want 640*480 anyway - quality is surprisingly good for the
ag=
e
of the TV (worth all my trouble back in the mid 80's trying to find a TV
with a SCART so I cold connect my Amiga !)

Standard Win 98 startup noises are great through a 5.1 setup :-)

> > Also if you want remote mouse / KB, go for RF rather than IR
as=20
> > they're bound to turn it the wrong way, sit in the IR path etc...
>=20
> Good point.  I will probably only go wireless though if I can=20
> find a child=20
> friendly solution.  Normal mice are waaayyy too big and too=20
> many buttons for a=20
> 3 yr old.  Yesterday, tested one of em out with Paint and my=20
> ms scroll wheel,=20
> million button jobbies & whilst he could master click &
move,=20
> he wasn't=20
> dexterous enough to avoid pressing some of the other mouse=20
> buttons at the same=20
> time.  Hey, just realised there _is_ a use for a Mac after=20
> all - those single=20
> button mice would be _perfect_ for a 3 yr old :-))

I managed to find a small 2 button USB mouse, it's about 2" by 1"
and fits
the kids hands perfectly, doubt it's still available as the PC's about 4
years old now. Windows 98 seems to work fine with this mouse AND a genuine
MS USB wheelie mouse (1 in each USB port), although SWMBO now has her own
P=
C
it's not used that much now. My youngest (not quite 2) has been using this
mouse for about 6 months (they just have to copy their older brother &
sister don=92t they !) Some of the software we have (I think it's the
young=
er
Reader Rabbit stuff) doesn't need a click, they can simply point the mouse
at the required picture.

What about a small USB hub / extension and sit the mouse / keyboard on a
table, they'll need to get used to sitting still whilst using the PC at
nursery and the threat of switching off their favourite program seems to do
wonders for fights :-)=20

Have you actually tried using one of these remote keyboard / mouse
combinations, once you've got past the initial login, you'll be ready to
bi=
n
it !


PS Another source of good entertainment is many of the kids TV web sites,
the Cbeebies one has a lot of flash based games / activities along with
print & colour in later pictures from all their favourite characters.

PPS The best source of entertainment will of course be
http://tony'shouse.com/control_panel, look Dad,
when I click here the light=
s
go on and off :-)

>=20
> cheers,
>=20
> T.
> <looking for hiding place from Mac-evangelists!>

Mac's are nice, but you just don't see the =A35 bargain games etc...