Michael:

Frankly, a Jr. College degree (A.A./A.S.) is multitudes more difficult
than passing a ham exam... frankly, the exam is moot when in comparison,
even to the ability to be proficient in beating a moderately video
game... however, here in La La Land who knows...

Warmest regards,
John

"Michael Black" wrote in message
...

"John Smith" ) writes:
The only way I could think you could reduce the number of games
sold/played on computers is to make the kids get a license before
they
can have a computer. Now the test could be pretty damn complicate,
but
if you require them to pass a 50 wpm typing test the numbers will
drop... now consider that they will view having to learn code for a
license as totally preposterous and you are close to getting a
clue...

It is the code, not the exam...

John

THe code is the game, as is the written test.

Pass the code test, and you move up a level. Same with the written
test.

It ultimately is not all that different. I tend to not play computer
games, but every so often I give one that came with the installation
a try. For the first bit, I am horrible, and I can't understand
how anyone could get very high scores. But as I play with the
game, I learn the tricks that work, and suddenly I am doing
well, until I hit some higher plateau.

SOmeone looks at theory, and it looks like a really high cliff. If
they turn back then, they don't get very far. But if they keep at
it, it turns out that the first steps aren't really that bad.

Code's the same. Some of us have pointed out the feeling of
accomplishment when we were young, to have passed the code test.
It wasn't something in our way, it was something to get good
at.

The first time I picked up an electronic hobby magazine, back in 1971,
none of it made sense. If there hadn't been non-technical material,
such as Wayne Green's column in Electronics Illustrated, there
wouldn't
ahve been much value in each issue at the beginning. But I kept
at it, and I learned. I thought I had four years to go before
I could get a license, because back then you had to be at lest
fifteen here in Canada to take the test. The rule was changed
the next spring, and that year or so of reading everything I could
get my hands on (three months after that first hobby magazine,
I had a membership in the ARRL so I could get QST) was highly
valuable,
because I didn't have to cram to pass the test, I had a certain
level of background to get ready for the test.

I ended up joining the local club's code and theory class. It had
started in the fall, but it was February when I learned I would
be able to get a license that year. Kid sitting across from me,
somewhat older, told me I'd not be successful, coming in so late.
But then, what I really needed was the code, and the "network"
the ham club supplied. I passed all but the code receiving
test in May, the first month I could take the test, and passed
the code receiving test in June. I didn't get the results till
grade six was over, so I couldn't boast to my classmates.

Michael VE2BVW