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There is a great story in the Austin American Statesmen (via Endgadget) of an 8 year old kid who did some software testing for a silicon valley chip-maker Actel. A $250 electronics store gift voucher was his reward.

It seems to fit in with a previous story of mine about the burning desire to learn and also allowed me to have a little reminisce…

I certainly remember some formative experiences on my path to becoming an electronics professional in the RAAF. As I recall, my first fascinations with electronics started by ‘embedding’ electrical stuff into lego structures – I particularly remember my pride and joy was a river side village, in lego, complete with lighting in all the little houses and DC motor to power the water-wheel… I guess I must have been 11 or 12.

But learning always drives you on. Another memory is dis-assembling an old record player and deciding it might be interesting to see what happened when the standalone (DC) motor was hooked straight into the wall – 240V AC. Well what happened was I was holding live 240V for a very short period before I realised I was on my back a few feet away, and said motor was going ‘great guns’, for about 20 seconds, when it duly ceased operation with a ‘pop’, in a small cloud of black smoke, and with that signature burnt electrics smell. I later had quite a fine nose for that smell and literally learnt to sniff out problems…

For young Carson Page, who has a Dad who works in electronics and electronics design, and a Mum and a sister who are more leaning toward the arts and music, I predict a wonderful life full of learning and amazement. Well let’s hope so anyway, he’s obviously a clever little bugger, and deserves that his talent should serve him in the most positive way possible.

In his own words:

“When I was little, Dad would be working on his code, and I’d watch him. Then one day I said ‘Wow dad, can I try that?’ And that’s how it started, with those six words.”

His dream is to become a fighter pilot.

I long hope he continues to dream and, that one day, he manages to get his butt into a Joint Strike Fighter if that what he wants.