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What the hell is up with our kids today?

Comments

If you think our future is doomed you’ve gotta meet this 14-year-old.

Meet Daniel Brusilovsky. 14-year-old geek. “No budget” podcaster.

We talk about tons of stuff. I’m damn impressed. Anytime you think our future is doomed come back and replay this video.

He’s one kid I want to buy a new computer for. Anyone want to kick in some bucks? He’s using a really old crappy computer and doing amazing things.

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Comments

  1. My god, this boy is a wonderkid, 14 years old working with SharePoint!? Deploying VS and stuff? Doing Podcasting on Apple!?!!

    My god, this kid is plain awesome

  2. My god, this boy is a wonderkid, 14 years old working with SharePoint!? Deploying VS and stuff? Doing Podcasting on Apple!?!!

    My god, this kid is plain awesome

  5. Impressed at his poise. Can he teach Lindsay Lohan (his elder) how to do something more useful with her life?

  6. Impressed at his poise. Can he teach Lindsay Lohan (his elder) how to do something more useful with her life?

  9. His argument for Apple is way off - how can the way they keep their prices high a good thing? Competition is good for the consumer and this is epitomized by the PC market.

    I would rather spend $200 than $2000 for the same spec any day - and thank the lord I don’t have to use a MAC!

  10. His argument for Apple is way off - how can the way they keep their prices high a good thing? Competition is good for the consumer and this is epitomized by the PC market.

    I would rather spend $200 than $2000 for the same spec any day - and thank the lord I don’t have to use a MAC!

  15. What a breath of fresh air..Robert If your serious I would gladly kick in some cash. Kids like this should be encoraged. EmAil me if your going to do this!!!

  16. What a breath of fresh air..Robert If your serious I would gladly kick in some cash. Kids like this should be encoraged. EmAil me if your going to do this!!!

  22. Hey Robert,

    Why don’t you set up a fundraising page so that we can all get this kid a new computer?

  23. Once upon a time a man saw a butterfly struggling to get out of a cocoon. He felt sorry for the butterfly so he carefully opened the cocoon to release the butterfly. The butterfly died because the struggle was necessary for the butterfly to develop the strength to fly. Think about that before buying this boy a computer. He may be better off without it.

  24. Once upon a time a man saw a butterfly struggling to get out of a cocoon. He felt sorry for the butterfly so he carefully opened the cocoon to release the butterfly. The butterfly died because the struggle was necessary for the butterfly to develop the strength to fly. Think about that before buying this boy a computer. He may be better off without it.

  25. @Tom - and sometimes people take opportunities they have been given and go on to achieve over and above because someone gave them the chance. Could go either way.

    Count me in for some $$$.

  26. @Tom - and sometimes people take opportunities they have been given and go on to achieve over and above because someone gave them the chance. Could go either way.

    Count me in for some $$$.

  29. I’ve been seriously considering starting a podcast to go with my blog. If only I knew I had competition in the under fifteen market. ;)

  30. I’ve been seriously considering starting a podcast to go with my blog. If only I knew I had competition in the under fifteen market. ;)

  40. It’s great that kids have all these free resources to create content these days. “Technology will be at its best in the next couple of years.” Not true at all, it will be constantly getting better. Apple’s products have this cult following I can’t understand. He hasn’t even tried these products, and he says they’re great. Oh, and Apple definitley wants to help people out by charging higher prices. Yeah right. HTML isn’t too impressive for fourteen year old. I’m impressed by the ability to make do with little money, and having a job. His comments aren’t very thought out, and I’ve seen better from kids his age. Hopefully he’ll keep learning and imporve his computer skills.

    These new social networks are springing up all the time, but only a few can stand out. No one is going to visit multiple (maybe two or three) sites to social network. So the new networks need to pull people away from old services if they want to gather a user base. They need to include features to integrate with other social networks, and sports new features that people will want. Much easier said then done. If you don’t gain a user base quickly, you’ll be just another dead social network. It is getting to be a pretty large graveyard.

    -Vainentree
    http://thenerdcan.wordpress.com/

  41. It’s great that kids have all these free resources to create content these days. “Technology will be at its best in the next couple of years.” Not true at all, it will be constantly getting better. Apple’s products have this cult following I can’t understand. He hasn’t even tried these products, and he says they’re great. Oh, and Apple definitley wants to help people out by charging higher prices. Yeah right. HTML isn’t too impressive for fourteen year old. I’m impressed by the ability to make do with little money, and having a job. His comments aren’t very thought out, and I’ve seen better from kids his age. Hopefully he’ll keep learning and imporve his computer skills.

    These new social networks are springing up all the time, but only a few can stand out. No one is going to visit multiple (maybe two or three) sites to social network. So the new networks need to pull people away from old services if they want to gather a user base. They need to include features to integrate with other social networks, and sports new features that people will want. Much easier said then done. If you don’t gain a user base quickly, you’ll be just another dead social network. It is getting to be a pretty large graveyard.

    -Vainentree
    http://thenerdcan.wordpress.com/

  46. These are the kids in our classrooms. How do they go back to school in the fall after summer “vacation” when they taught themselves skills that will be ignored in most classrooms? His teachers can learn a great deal from him!
    I love his confidence and drive.

  47. These are the kids in our classrooms. How do they go back to school in the fall after summer “vacation” when they taught themselves skills that will be ignored in most classrooms? His teachers can learn a great deal from him!
    I love his confidence and drive.

  50. I love this kid. But if his mother works at Oracle and his dad at another tech company, why don’t THEY buy him a new computer? They probably think he’s on the computer too much already :-)

  51. I love this kid. But if his mother works at Oracle and his dad at another tech company, why don’t THEY buy him a new computer? They probably think he’s on the computer too much already :-)

  52. Thats great! Keep me informed on the paypal account. Hopefully more can be done in our school systems to foster this kind of enthusiasm for technology.

  53. Thats great! Keep me informed on the paypal account. Hopefully more can be done in our school systems to foster this kind of enthusiasm for technology.

  56. If Daniel’s parents can afford to buy their kid a new computer, I would say it’s up to them, or it’s up to Daniel to earn it by doing odd jobs like most kids do. They learn responsibility. Responsibility is still ‘cool’ in Silicon Valley, isn’t it? =

    Donating money to a kid who comes from a family who have money is rather sad, don’t you think?

  57. If Daniel’s parents can afford to buy their kid a new computer, I would say it’s up to them, or it’s up to Daniel to earn it by doing odd jobs like most kids do. They learn responsibility. Responsibility is still ‘cool’ in Silicon Valley, isn’t it? =

    Donating money to a kid who comes from a family who have money is rather sad, don’t you think?

  58. PS Daniel, you are an impressive young man, but I’d more inspired by you if you donated time to volunteering at hospitals, maybe mowing lawns for old folk who have problems, that sort of thing.

  59. PS Daniel, you are an impressive young man, but I’d more inspired by you if you donated time to volunteering at hospitals, maybe mowing lawns for old folk who have problems, that sort of thing.

  70. Daniel, I’m glad to hear you’re into gymnastics, and you help out at the gym.

    But I think it is important that one or both of your parents come into this comment thread and make a note that they’re OK with this fund raising drive.

  71. Daniel, I’m glad to hear you’re into gymnastics, and you help out at the gym.

    But I think it is important that one or both of your parents come into this comment thread and make a note that they’re OK with this fund raising drive.

  72. @27 Boo Hoo! Life is hard. Here’s a idea: instead of begging for a Mac,why not try earning and saving for one. I know its a wierd concept for your generation but it really is a co cept that works. I not sure how society will benefit from a charitable contribution to your Mac fund.

  73. @27 Boo Hoo! Life is hard. Here’s a idea: instead of begging for a Mac,why not try earning and saving for one. I know its a wierd concept for your generation but it really is a co cept that works. I not sure how society will benefit from a charitable contribution to your Mac fund.

  74. My parents know about this, and they are so-so about it. As for LayZ, all of money is going to college, because in your generation, college was a lot cheaper. I don’t only think of myself, but others. I help out for aide’s and cancer foundations. I am not selfish. I think of others before myself. I just want to say that.

  75. My parents know about this, and they are so-so about it. As for LayZ, all of money is going to college, because in your generation, college was a lot cheaper. I don’t only think of myself, but others. I help out for aide’s and cancer foundations. I am not selfish. I think of others before myself. I just want to say that.

  81. Robert,

    I will gladly chip in a bit for a new machine for this kid — Mac or PC. If you decide to do this, post about it and I will pick it up via Google Reader or the WordPress dashboard.

    Best,

    Jeff Ventura
    GracefulFlavor

  82. Robert,

    I will gladly chip in a bit for a new machine for this kid — Mac or PC. If you decide to do this, post about it and I will pick it up via Google Reader or the WordPress dashboard.

    Best,

    Jeff Ventura
    GracefulFlavor

  83. Daniel’s taking the criticism very well and very maturely. I’m impressed and I hope he does well. As for fundraising, I’d vote for him doing the majority of the work via setting up a donations page, or working. This is the easy way out that he does not need. In a good twist, he will be donating whatever monies have been donated to him to a charity.

  84. Daniel’s taking the criticism very well and very maturely. I’m impressed and I hope he does well. As for fundraising, I’d vote for him doing the majority of the work via setting up a donations page, or working. This is the easy way out that he does not need. In a good twist, he will be donating whatever monies have been donated to him to a charity.

  85. His motivation reminds me of when I was a kid with my Commodore 62. I, however, did nothing interesting besides spend countless hours poring over Creative Computing magazine hacking in those tedious monthly programs.

    More power to this kid; I hope he succeeds in his endeavors.

  86. His motivation reminds me of when I was a kid with my Commodore 62. I, however, did nothing interesting besides spend countless hours poring over Creative Computing magazine hacking in those tedious monthly programs.

    More power to this kid; I hope he succeeds in his endeavors.

  89. @44 unless Daniel sets himself as a 501c-3 its not a donation. It’s no different than begging. Which, if it works for him…. Great

  90. @44 unless Daniel sets himself as a 501c-3 its not a donation. It’s no different than begging. Which, if it works for him…. Great

  91. LayZ, cut the crap. He’s just a kid, he’s only 14. Robert made a mistake starting this fund raising thing without having a discussion with his folks about it.

    A fact, seemingly forgotten by folks, is we can’t just talk to and give money to kids online without their parents knowledge and consent. Forget the moral aspects of giving a 14 year old money without knowing if his parents are aware of the money, there are legal ramifications.

    Daniel got caught up in the moment, and seems like a nice young man. He’s decided that it would be best not to do this ‘fundraiser’.

    Him getting a computer, and how he gets it, is really between his parents and himself. Financially, the family can afford it, but have other priorities. I can respect that. Admire it, even.

    But don’t forget: mature presentation or not, he is only 14.

  92. LayZ, cut the crap. He’s just a kid, he’s only 14. Robert made a mistake starting this fund raising thing without having a discussion with his folks about it.

    A fact, seemingly forgotten by folks, is we can’t just talk to and give money to kids online without their parents knowledge and consent. Forget the moral aspects of giving a 14 year old money without knowing if his parents are aware of the money, there are legal ramifications.

    Daniel got caught up in the moment, and seems like a nice young man. He’s decided that it would be best not to do this ‘fundraiser’.

    Him getting a computer, and how he gets it, is really between his parents and himself. Financially, the family can afford it, but have other priorities. I can respect that. Admire it, even.

    But don’t forget: mature presentation or not, he is only 14.

  93. there is no need to collect money to get this kid a new computer, I’m sure he’ll manage with his home desktop and work laptop.

  94. there is no need to collect money to get this kid a new computer, I’m sure he’ll manage with his home desktop and work laptop.

  97. Finally, someone’s starting to recognize that we teenagers are catching up! Some kids play competitive sports for fun, others are interested in electronics. I took college Comp Sci my freshman year in high school and, although I was the only girl and was definitely the youngest, I held my own just fine.

    I know a couple of people who started IT companies when they were 14/15. It’s really not as uncommon as you’d think, anymore. They’re just pretty tough to track down, unless you happen to know someone who knows someone who knows the kid…

  98. Finally, someone’s starting to recognize that we teenagers are catching up! Some kids play competitive sports for fun, others are interested in electronics. I took college Comp Sci my freshman year in high school and, although I was the only girl and was definitely the youngest, I held my own just fine.

    I know a couple of people who started IT companies when they were 14/15. It’s really not as uncommon as you’d think, anymore. They’re just pretty tough to track down, unless you happen to know someone who knows someone who knows the kid…

  101. Shelley is right. This was my idea, not really Daniel’s and I didn’t check with his parents first.

    Daniel’s sending any donated funds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fund. Which even furthers my belief that Daniel’s a great kid.

  102. Shelley is right. This was my idea, not really Daniel’s and I didn’t check with his parents first.

    Daniel’s sending any donated funds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fund. Which even furthers my belief that Daniel’s a great kid.

  103. I find this so refreshing. I have been worrying about my 16-year-old neice’s hijinks lately-and the grief she is causing her parents. It’s good to remember all of the potential that youngsters have. I know that they’re not all this amazing, but this young man gives me a much needed fresh perspective. Thanks!

  104. I find this so refreshing. I have been worrying about my 16-year-old neice’s hijinks lately-and the grief she is causing her parents. It’s good to remember all of the potential that youngsters have. I know that they’re not all this amazing, but this young man gives me a much needed fresh perspective. Thanks!

  107. @48 good point, Shelley. I didn’t realize this was Scoble’s dumb idea, not Daniel’s. My aologies to you, Daniel.

  108. @48 good point, Shelley. I didn’t realize this was Scoble’s dumb idea, not Daniel’s. My aologies to you, Daniel.

  109. @GC: “I would rather spend $200 than $2000 for the same spec any day - and thank the lord I don’t have to use a MAC!”

    Try to find a modern Core 2 Duo PC for $200. That’s right, you can’t.

    It’s moronic statements like yours that make me uncharitable enough to entertain the thought of having ignoramus platform bigots banned from the Internet. I use XP and OS X everyday, and in case Windows bigots didn’t know it, Bill and Melinda Gates have donated enough money to Planned Parenthood to pay for over 80,000 abortions, which surely must have culled some future kids like Daniel from the human gene pool. Think about THAT next time you pay for Microsoft products.

    Daniel, IMO, deserves praise for his ability to see a bigger picture, which is more than I can say for the lazy thinkers posting ignorant comments here.

  110. @GC: “I would rather spend $200 than $2000 for the same spec any day - and thank the lord I don’t have to use a MAC!”

    Try to find a modern Core 2 Duo PC for $200. That’s right, you can’t.

    It’s moronic statements like yours that make me uncharitable enough to entertain the thought of having ignoramus platform bigots banned from the Internet. I use XP and OS X everyday, and in case Windows bigots didn’t know it, Bill and Melinda Gates have donated enough money to Planned Parenthood to pay for over 80,000 abortions, which surely must have culled some future kids like Daniel from the human gene pool. Think about THAT next time you pay for Microsoft products.

    Daniel, IMO, deserves praise for his ability to see a bigger picture, which is more than I can say for the lazy thinkers posting ignorant comments here.

  111. Daniel wrote in #39: “in your generation, college was a lot cheaper.”

    Indeed. That’s why we’ve set up an investment account for our son, who’ll need it to fund his university education. I don’t want him going into debt - I didn’t have to take out student loans when I was in college because I had saved my high school scholarship money to pay for college tuition. My son uses an Apple iBook because I refuse to pay for Microsoft products that will be used to help fund donations to Planned Parenthood. The deliberate destruction of innocent human life has got to stop.

  112. Daniel wrote in #39: “in your generation, college was a lot cheaper.”

    Indeed. That’s why we’ve set up an investment account for our son, who’ll need it to fund his university education. I don’t want him going into debt - I didn’t have to take out student loans when I was in college because I had saved my high school scholarship money to pay for college tuition. My son uses an Apple iBook because I refuse to pay for Microsoft products that will be used to help fund donations to Planned Parenthood. The deliberate destruction of innocent human life has got to stop.

  113. jmgoldstein wrote in #28: “Hopefully more can be done in our school systems to foster this kind of enthusiasm for technology”

    No, hopefully more can be done to foster enthusiasm for clear thinking instead of media sound bites and infotainment. Schools are often purveyors of intellectual pap dressed up to look like mental nourishment. Don’t take my word for it, read what an award-winning schoolteacher discovered over a 30-year career:

    http://www.johntaylorgatto.com

  114. jmgoldstein wrote in #28: “Hopefully more can be done in our school systems to foster this kind of enthusiasm for technology”

    No, hopefully more can be done to foster enthusiasm for clear thinking instead of media sound bites and infotainment. Schools are often purveyors of intellectual pap dressed up to look like mental nourishment. Don’t take my word for it, read what an award-winning schoolteacher discovered over a 30-year career:

    http://www.johntaylorgatto.com

  115. KC wrote in #1: “this kid is plain awesome”

    Compared with an average kid who attends regular public school, perhaps. I went to a high school filled with kids like him, and many of my former classmates are now neurosurgeons, physicists, molecular biologists, and so on. But Daniel seems like a pretty good kid, and I pledged $50 towards the charity he designated. Talk (and blog posting) is cheap. We should put our money where it can do some good, instead of being used to kill babies.

  116. KC wrote in #1: “this kid is plain awesome”

    Compared with an average kid who attends regular public school, perhaps. I went to a high school filled with kids like him, and many of my former classmates are now neurosurgeons, physicists, molecular biologists, and so on. But Daniel seems like a pretty good kid, and I pledged $50 towards the charity he designated. Talk (and blog posting) is cheap. We should put our money where it can do some good, instead of being used to kill babies.

  117. In case Robert (and everyone else) is wondering why I have such a visceral reaction to his blog post titled “What the hell is up with our kids today?” — oh, you mean the ones who were allowed to live? Consider that Bill Gates was born into a wealthy family, and he dropped out of Harvard. Steve Jobs was born to an unwed graduate student, who gave him up for adoption instead of aborting him. Now, try to imagine how different the world might be if his mother had instead chosen to kill him in her womb. Daniel Brusilovsky is, quite literally, missing many of his contemporaries, because they were never allowed to live. How many “Daniels” are not here today because of this?

  118. In case Robert (and everyone else) is wondering why I have such a visceral reaction to his blog post titled “What the hell is up with our kids today?” — oh, you mean the ones who were allowed to live? Consider that Bill Gates was born into a wealthy family, and he dropped out of Harvard. Steve Jobs was born to an unwed graduate student, who gave him up for adoption instead of aborting him. Now, try to imagine how different the world might be if his mother had instead chosen to kill him in her womb. Daniel Brusilovsky is, quite literally, missing many of his contemporaries, because they were never allowed to live. How many “Daniels” are not here today because of this?

  119. In #34, Rod Trent wrote: “Sometimes parents just have to make a stand against Apple products.”

    Another platform bigot, apparently. Sometimes, parents just have to make a stand against arrogant ignoramuses who pollute the blogosphere. Daniel at least is open-minded enough to look at the merits of Apple technology, which is more than we can say for you, judging by your asinine remarks.

  120. In #34, Rod Trent wrote: “Sometimes parents just have to make a stand against Apple products.”

    Another platform bigot, apparently. Sometimes, parents just have to make a stand against arrogant ignoramuses who pollute the blogosphere. Daniel at least is open-minded enough to look at the merits of Apple technology, which is more than we can say for you, judging by your asinine remarks.

  121. In #35, Daniel wrote: “My parents have never used the Mac OS X operating system”

    Their loss. And I say this as someone who has used Windows on a daily basis since version 3.1 (1.0 and 2.0 were too immature).

  122. In #35, Daniel wrote: “My parents have never used the Mac OS X operating system”

    Their loss. And I say this as someone who has used Windows on a daily basis since version 3.1 (1.0 and 2.0 were too immature).

  125. He impressed me a few weeks ago when he interviewed me for his show at WordCamp. And then followed up a fe days later to thank all those he interviews.

    Yes, he’s stuck me as a kid who will go far.

  126. He impressed me a few weeks ago when he interviewed me for his show at WordCamp. And then followed up a fe days later to thank all those he interviews.

    Yes, he’s stuck me as a kid who will go far.

  130. one thing i want to say about this kid , he should continue with the way he is doing now and try to do best out of him .

  131. one thing i want to say about this kid , he should continue with the way he is doing now and try to do best out of him .

  134. re: 61.

    I am impressed at how you have managed to twist this to your own agenda Victor, but perhaps this is not the best place for it!

  135. re: 61.

    I am impressed at how you have managed to twist this to your own agenda Victor, but perhaps this is not the best place for it!

  136. I am not surprised at this Kid at all. Why call him a child genius that just makes us Technologists and Software Engineers look stupid. Of course he knows how to install Office, Ghost Images, write html and work with various other Software Packages, all you have to do is read a manual or look for some howtos on google. You would have to be stupid to not know how to do all the things this Kid has said he can do. My Mum can even do these things. If this Kid is a child genius I was a Child Prodigy and Genius writing my first Basic Programme in Year 7, without any help from the Internet, Mummy and Daddy.
    All this Kid knows are the things us Technologists and Software Engineers have spent years and years working on. Useability!

    All Software Engineers give yourself a pat on the back our programmes are so user friendly, even a Kid knows how to use them.

  137. I am not surprised at this Kid at all. Why call him a child genius that just makes us Technologists and Software Engineers look stupid. Of course he knows how to install Office, Ghost Images, write html and work with various other Software Packages, all you have to do is read a manual or look for some howtos on google. You would have to be stupid to not know how to do all the things this Kid has said he can do. My Mum can even do these things. If this Kid is a child genius I was a Child Prodigy and Genius writing my first Basic Programme in Year 7, without any help from the Internet, Mummy and Daddy.
    All this Kid knows are the things us Technologists and Software Engineers have spent years and years working on. Useability!

    All Software Engineers give yourself a pat on the back our programmes are so user friendly, even a Kid knows how to use them.

  138. yeah… i gotta agree with #71. Calling him a genius is like calling all us technologists stupid. If you think a 14 yr old that ‘could install MS office’ sums up everything we’ve learned in 4+ years in university, you’re sadly mistaken. Most of the tasks he’s describing is crap that could be learned through google in about a week.

  139. yeah… i gotta agree with #71. Calling him a genius is like calling all us technologists stupid. If you think a 14 yr old that ‘could install MS office’ sums up everything we’ve learned in 4+ years in university, you’re sadly mistaken. Most of the tasks he’s describing is crap that could be learned through google in about a week.

  141. Daniel (who I chat with semi-regularly now) inspired me to actually give podcasting a big shot.

    Because of him, I went down to B&H and spent $100 on a podcasting kit (no hard feelings Daniel; it’s money well spent).

    And because of him, I now have the courage to get my voice (my physical voice, which happens not to be the best-sounding one ever, and mental one, which doesn’t seem to flow as nicely as Daniel’s) to the world.

  142. Daniel (who I chat with semi-regularly now) inspired me to actually give podcasting a big shot.

    Because of him, I went down to B&H and spent $100 on a podcasting kit (no hard feelings Daniel; it’s money well spent).

    And because of him, I now have the courage to get my voice (my physical voice, which happens not to be the best-sounding one ever, and mental one, which doesn’t seem to flow as nicely as Daniel’s) to the world.