Is this something I absolutely have to be a kid to think is awesome?

April 26, 2007 8:03 PM

In this century, you may have dozens of programming languages lurking on your machine. But how to use them?? A fundamental secret! Well, no more. We cannot stand for that. Hackety Hack will not stand to have you in the dark! Now with 100% more MeFi.
posted by signal (27 comments total)

Well, I hadn't seen it yet. Thanks for this. *downloads*
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:10 PM on April 26, 2007

Neat! I can't wait till the Mac version comes out.
posted by brundlefly at 8:13 PM on April 26, 2007

This is cool.

But the example download link in part 2 of the the tutoral on the wiki is even cooler, at least if you remember classic Sesame Street.
posted by JHarris at 8:14 PM on April 26, 2007

Oh, and in response to your tag, I think the mascot character is supposed to be a mouse.
posted by JHarris at 8:17 PM on April 26, 2007

I want to kill Why The Lucky Stiff based on his name alone.
posted by mrnutty at 8:22 PM on April 26, 2007

I want to kill Why The Lucky Stiff based on his name alone.

I did too until he gave me infinite grenades . . .
posted by datacenter refugee at 8:28 PM on April 26, 2007

... anyone else installed get this? ... "When logged in to a restricted / limited access user account on Windows XP Professional SP2, and using the RunAs? command to run Hackety Hack as an administrator, the application launches but the application is unusable and the following message is displayed instead of content:
uninitialized constant Camping
posted by acro at 8:42 PM on April 26, 2007

Whatever. I've been wanting to learn Ruby for a while, and this seems like the perfect way to ease myself back into programming. Hell yes.

I used to be a CS major, but the damned liberal arts tempted me away . . .
posted by thecaddy at 8:43 PM on April 26, 2007

DUUUUHH-ble.
posted by phaedon at 8:06 PM on April 26 [+]
[!]


Um, I'm stupid I guess, please delete me and allow me to move on
posted by phaedon at 8:07 PM on April 26 [+]
[!]


Um, I'm stupid I guess, please delete me and allow me to move on
posted by phaedon at 8:07 PM on April 26 [+]
[!]


oh god stop i can't take it anymore
posted by phaedon at 8:08 PM on April 26 [+]
[!]

Is it just me, or does it seem as though the metafilter code base has become self-aware and has picked up the general sense of humor around these parts?
posted by stet at 8:53 PM on April 26, 2007 [4 favorites has favorites]

metasingularity?
posted by infini at 9:14 PM on April 26, 2007

I think this is a great idea coupled with a great execution. Thanks for the post.
posted by Hadroed at 9:27 PM on April 26, 2007

Anything like this out there for Mac users? I'd love to try my hand at this, if only to fail miserably.
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 10:05 PM on April 26, 2007

Yes, sortof. (via Meta) It does it all in your browser.
posted by IronLizard at 10:10 PM on April 26, 2007

I assume "Why The Lucky Stiff" reads MetaFilter? This is great.

I just finished reading the quick guide to SQLite and Ruby. The author concludes: Hopefully this is a fitting introduction to SQLite in Ruby. If not, please contact me and spew wisdom.
posted by russilwvong at 10:18 PM on April 26, 2007

I just did the first two lessons!
I can ask and say! I can download mp3s and site feeds!
W00t me. I 4M TEH HAXX0R. I also HAS CHEEZBURGER.
posted by Methylviolet at 10:39 PM on April 26, 2007

This project is awesome. It's great that _why's using his profoundly advanced skills (he's a Ruby core committer) and his deeply weird sense of humor to advance the general welfare.

So many people drone on boringly about how important it is for kids to learn computers, only to come up with curricula that focus on using a spreadsheet or writing a resume. Following in the great spirit of LOGO, _why makes programming actually fun, playful, and subversive -- exactly what it takes for something to interesting to kids.

I think he should be appointed Secretary of Education (or at least win a MacArthur "Genius" Grant)!
posted by AtDuskGreg at 11:44 PM on April 26, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

I was skeptical at first - why's poignant guide is fun and funny but nearly useless as a language primer (in my opinion, at least ...). But I dig Hackety Hack. How can you find fault in a programming tutorial that teaches you how to make a blog before it teaches you how to do arithmetic?
posted by aparrish at 11:59 PM on April 26, 2007

Firstly, thanks for the stinky linky; it will come in handy for me as I attempt to pay my rent by convincing everyone that my IT kung foo is unstoppable.

Since this thread is shortly to be deleted, let me just say what a bunch of complete fucking freaks you guys are.
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:18 AM on April 27, 2007

I am so trying this.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 6:09 AM on April 27, 2007

the metafilter code base had a little too much jameson's last night
posted by phaedon at 9:49 AM on April 27, 2007

meh. nothing like a peaty single malt for me sensitive tastebuds, thanks
posted by infini at 1:26 PM on April 27, 2007

What blows my mind is that he's teaching XML parsing and databases to 13 year olds.
posted by signal at 3:04 PM on April 27, 2007

What blows my mind is that he's teaching XML parsing and databases to 13 year olds.

Now if only we can get the schools to STFU about BASIC and switch to this...
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:26 PM on April 27, 2007

Actually, scew XML, he's teaching them frikkin' classes.
posted by signal at 5:05 PM on April 27, 2007

Cool, you can trade your programs back and forth between installs of Hackety pretty easily as well. This is awesome.

hey NEPHEW...!
posted by dozo at 10:01 PM on April 27, 2007

Damn it! Get busy on the Mac version, why!
posted by brundlefly at 1:19 AM on April 28, 2007

Oh shizle! :)
posted by mesmerx at 10:33 AM on April 28, 2007