The First 100 Days - Family Computing and K-Power Magazine ...

Willi the same care and
precision he devotes to
his plants (streptocar-
pus) and his work.
Tony Morris set about
researching microcom
puters and how he
would use one with fits
family. He developed a
plan for learning ahoul
computers that worked.
CINDY FRENKEL (5 a poet
andjreelance
magazine writer.
44 FAMILY COMPUTING
Thirty years ago or so. Tony Morris's father
told stories about catching his son reading
under the covers by flashlight. Today, Tony
tells the modern-day version of that story—
catching his son writing computer programs
the same way. That's where the parallel ends.
Like a lot of other families today, the Mor
rises were toying with the idea of buying a
computer for their home. Even back in 1981.
when Matt was programming under the covers,
all three Morris children had already had some
experience with a computer at school—Matt as
a ninc-ycar-old fourth grader; Anne as a 13-
year-old just starting junior high: and Jon as a
15-year-old just finishing junior high.
Probably the most unusual thing about the
family was that both parents had computer
experience as well. As a psychology professor
and associate chair of his department at the
University of Michigan. Tony made frequent
use of the terminal that gave him access to the
university mainframe. He knew, though, that
typing in commands as he did to analyze re
search data had little to do with understanding
a computer.
Penny, on the other hand, had experience
programming in FORTRAN, going back to the
How to
Program
Into
Your
Computer
BY CINDY FRENKEL
DECIDING TO BUY A COMPUTER
IS ONE THING. PUTTING IT TO
GOOD USE IS ANOTHER. TONY
MORRIS AND HIS FAMILY HAVE
DONE BOTH. HERE'S HOW.
time when she supported Tony through grad
school at the University of Illinois. But that was
long before the day of microcomputers. By the
time their children grew up. Penny and Tony
were convinced, familiarity with a computer
would no longer be an optional skill.
"Penny and I arc both cautious people,"
Tony states, "but we readily agreed that learn
ing to use a computer was definitely an essen
tial part of a child's education. To us the ulti
mate value of feeling comfortable with a
computer was as important as part of a college
education. That's what led us to spend part of
the children's education fund on an Apple II.
We believe that even if we can send our kids to
college for only three-and-a-half years instead
of four as a result of buying our Apple, it will
still be worth it."
SETTING A GOAL;
MAKING A PLAN
Both Morris parents are concerned with
the growth and education of their children,
and each is involved with the children indepen
dently as well as in whole-family activities.
Tony, for example, shares his love of sailing
with them on a one-to-one basis; Penny on the