this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2026
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Programming

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Hi!

Soon I'll have my little nephew (13) in my company to check out software development for a week.

I'm working with large industry machines in real time Linux systems, so obviously I'd show him my test machine and if the customer agrees, I can show him some robots as well.
Also, he will get some crash course in computer basics.

He is an avid gamer - although not really good with computers.

I've gifted him a still nice laptop with Linux and Steam installed 1-2 years ago and he happily played Minecraft, but after some time he went back to his Switch 2.

Now he uses my Steam Deck - although that doesn't make that much of a difference...

I'd like to give him something fun as an exercise, that's is early rewarding.

Perfect would be, if he could code himself a little computer game, but that's completely out of my normal work stuff and I don't know what good options are available.

I guess starting with C++ and an Unreal engine or similar is more than an overkill.

Is there something, that is teaching the basics and gives rather quick rewards, which can produce a little something after 2-3 days?

Thank you all in advance!

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[โ€“] ShellMonkey@piefed.socdojo.com 18 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Nice getup to get the basic mindset of programming for kids from the folks at MIT: https://scratch.mit.edu/

Somewhere around there's a locally installable version, I'd first found it via the little yunohost boxes.

[โ€“] naeap@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 day ago

Yeah, scratch rings a bell

I think, I even installed it on his laptop as I set it up

Maybe that's a good starting point, thanks