Defcon: How to Hack Safely

At the annual hacker convention, there is a program that encourages kids to hack, safely of course. One of the best things about these types of programs is that it teaches the kids about technology at an early age. It sets the groundwork for future application development and for the kids to be aware of the different type of technologies and how they can be used. It's like training-wheels for learning about the technology … having kids start sooner, getting people who wouldn't normally get into hacking sooner, and spreading that it's not necessarily hacking in the evil sense but a lot about curiosity, finding flaws and sharing knowledge. The r00tz Asylum program provides kids a safe environment in which to break the rules. Learning it in a controlled kind of environment under guidance is much better than people going off on their own and perusing it in any way they please. There should definitely be more programs such as these.