(Young) Hardware Hackers: What do you Think...

[smknjoe]

...of this kid claiming to have designed and invented his clock? And what do you think of his accepting the accolades, money, gifts, educational perks, and potential business opportunities?

 

[nubbinator]

I think who gives a ****.  Everyplace I've seen this posted, it turns into a flame war.  Who cares whether or not he "invented" it.  That's a semantic argument when kids his age are known to not think clearly and frequently exaggerate.

In the end it comes down to the fact that no one deserves to be treated the way he was, regardless of how retarded you think his actions were and regardless of whether or not he actually "invented" anything.

[smknjoe]

There are many maker/hacker communities and school clubs where kids his age and younger actually do make electronics. I don't see any evidence the kid has made or even assembled anything (even if from a kit).

[nubbinator]

So, as suspected, you just came in to try and start something and go off on the kid.  You'd think grown-ups on the internet would have something better to do than to bash a kid.

[smknjoe]

I just wanted to see what young makers think about this. I have not seen any news coverage at all about this other than everyone going on about how he likes to design and build electronics. And because of his hacking abilities he's getting all kinds of recognition and reimbursement. Doesn't that seem unfair to the kids who really work hard designing and building their projects in hopes of some day getting a spot at MIT? It sort of cheapens it doesn't it? I don't think most people are aware of these criticisms.

[smknjoe]

...and I've been a big supporter of the kid for the most part. I don't think that he should receive recognition for something he didn't do though.

[Oobly]

6. PROFIT!!!

This kind of behaviour should not be rewarded, condoned or supported in any way. Sure, he's just a kid and kids exaggerate to get attention, but he let it go way too far and he has got to have been really dumb not to have expected the reaction he got, which I why I suspect it was all planned to go the way it did.

He made a commercial clock look like a bomb to provoke an anti-terrorist reaction and profit from the publicity. If you think "well done, you deserve to be lauded and get all kinds of stuff, because you forced us to do something out of the desire to protect others and then played on our feelings of guilt", sorry, but I don't.

Kid should be exposed as the fraud / faker he is and all the companies / colleges, etc should take the stuff back. Then he should be charged with fraud and police provocation even if he doesn't actually serve a sentence since he's a minor. Since he took it as far as he did, the consequences now have to be as public and strong as all the rest of it.

I'm not a young maker any more, but I used to be, and most really awesome and innovative projects done by youngsters get about the right amount of support, but some definitely get too little. It's really aggravating that this guy should get the praise he has when he's done nothing creative or innovative in any way, except to deceive a bunch of people.

He certainly did not work his ass off to build this "clock", unlike many youngsters trying to get into the better technical colleges / universities.

[Altis]

If nothing else, it was an electrical hazard. Plugging in something like that into the 120V wall outlets during class... a short could have energized the exterior (metal) casing.

But add to that the father being a highly outspoken anti-Islamophobia activist, no reason to bring it in (science fair, project, etc) , having the alarm go off during class.... It's a setup.

[SpAmRaY]

Show Image

6. PROFIT!!!

This kind of behaviour should not be rewarded, condoned or supported in any way. Sure, he's just a kid and kids exaggerate to get attention, but he let it go way too far and he has got to have been really dumb not to have expected the reaction he got, which I why I suspect it was all planned to go the way it did.

He made a commercial clock look like a bomb to provoke an anti-terrorist reaction and profit from the publicity. If you think "well done, you deserve to be lauded and get all kinds of stuff, because you forced us to do something out of the desire to protect others and then played on our feelings of guilt", sorry, but I don't.

Kid should be exposed as the fraud / faker he is and all the companies / colleges, etc should take the stuff back. Then he should be charged with fraud and police provocation even if he doesn't actually serve a sentence since he's a minor. Since he took it as far as he did, the consequences now have to be as public and strong as all the rest of it.

I'm not a young maker any more, but I used to be, and most really awesome and innovative projects done by youngsters get about the right amount of support, but some definitely get too little. It's really aggravating that this guy should get the praise he has when he's done nothing creative or innovative in any way, except to deceive a bunch of people.

He certainly did not work his ass off to build this "clock", unlike many youngsters trying to get into the better technical colleges / universities.

+1

Also from what I read this wasn't the kids first run in with trouble but of course the school is limited in what they can disclose.

[baldgye]

This thread and the comments it contains are amazing

[sth]

Show Image

6. PROFIT!!!

This kind of behaviour should not be rewarded, condoned or supported in any way. Sure, he's just a kid and kids exaggerate to get attention, but he let it go way too far and he has got to have been really dumb not to have expected the reaction he got, which I why I suspect it was all planned to go the way it did.

He made a commercial clock look like a bomb to provoke an anti-terrorist reaction and profit from the publicity. If you think "well done, you deserve to be lauded and get all kinds of stuff, because you forced us to do something out of the desire to protect others and then played on our feelings of guilt", sorry, but I don't.

Kid should be exposed as the fraud / faker he is and all the companies / colleges, etc should take the stuff back. Then he should be charged with fraud and police provocation even if he doesn't actually serve a sentence since he's a minor. Since he took it as far as he did, the consequences now have to be as public and strong as all the rest of it.

I'm not a young maker any more, but I used to be, and most really awesome and innovative projects done by youngsters get about the right amount of support, but some definitely get too little. It's really aggravating that this guy should get the praise he has when he's done nothing creative or innovative in any way, except to deceive a bunch of people.

He certainly did not work his ass off to build this "clock", unlike many youngsters trying to get into the better technical colleges / universities.

lol

[Oobly]

Show Image

6. PROFIT!!!

This kind of behaviour should not be rewarded, condoned or supported in any way. Sure, he's just a kid and kids exaggerate to get attention, but he let it go way too far and he has got to have been really dumb not to have expected the reaction he got, which I why I suspect it was all planned to go the way it did.

He made a commercial clock look like a bomb to provoke an anti-terrorist reaction and profit from the publicity. If you think "well done, you deserve to be lauded and get all kinds of stuff, because you forced us to do something out of the desire to protect others and then played on our feelings of guilt", sorry, but I don't.

Kid should be exposed as the fraud / faker he is and all the companies / colleges, etc should take the stuff back. Then he should be charged with fraud and police provocation even if he doesn't actually serve a sentence since he's a minor. Since he took it as far as he did, the consequences now have to be as public and strong as all the rest of it.

I'm not a young maker any more, but I used to be, and most really awesome and innovative projects done by youngsters get about the right amount of support, but some definitely get too little. It's really aggravating that this guy should get the praise he has when he's done nothing creative or innovative in any way, except to deceive a bunch of people.

He certainly did not work his ass off to build this "clock", unlike many youngsters trying to get into the better technical colleges / universities.

lol

You're welcome :D

[osi]

This was a staged media event.

[Altis]

This was a staged media event.

No kidding.

And now after all that, he's moving to the radical realm of Qatar.

How interesting.