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Original poster

OMG DS...do I save him from this embarassing situation or stay out of it?

54 replies

MrsSnape · 09/09/2008 19:40

My 9 year old DS and his little friend (also 9) have great aspirations of one day owning a microsoft style company that will take over the computer world and make them rich.

They have started making their own website, which is a blatent copy of "Roblox" (kids online building game). However neither of them know any computer coding, neither can do any graphic design and neither can spell very well therefore they have this website up (on a free domain) that just screams out "look at us little kids pretending to be web designers!" lol

Anyway, I've just been looking through DS's email (a condition of him using the net) and he only went and emailed Roblox asking them to sponser his new company and he told them if they did, he would be happy to help them develop their own site (you know, this multi-million $ online gaming community!) to make it better

They actually replied and said "sorry, I don't understand what you're asking?" and he replied back saying "Thats ok, sorry if it looks like we've copied your game a bit but we're not, its more like the sims. here is our website (adds address of little site) and when we get a real domain name our business will really take off. If you see anything on the site that looks identical to your roblox, let us know and if you don't like it we will remove it".

I imagine he and his friend are now the laughing stock of this office. I actually cringed when I read it.

Do I email the people myself and apologise and explain he is only 9 or stay out of it?

OP posts:
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Megglevache · 09/09/2008 21:11

awwwwwwwwwww swoon, can I bag your son for my daughter in about 20 years.

purpleduck · 09/09/2008 21:26

I also think he is seriously fantastic!
He is going to learn SO much from this, and who knows what will happen...

how do we do the fancy B's?

thisisyesterday · 09/09/2008 21:36

oh MrsSnape he is fantastic. and I can't believe they built a site by themselves.

btw, my dp has often thought of teaching youngsters programming and coding and website building and stuff.
so depending on where you are in the country perhaps he could help out??

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Original poster
MrsSnape · 09/09/2008 21:46

LOL Megglevache!

Thisisyesterday, that would be great! we're in Hull.

OP posts:
Dottydot · 09/09/2008 21:46

flipping heck - I've had a look at the site and can't believe it's been built by 9 year olds - that is seriously amazing!

I know zilcho about web stuff but if they want a proofreader I'd be happy to help - I think they're brilliant and good luck to them!

thisisyesterday · 09/09/2008 21:50

ahh we're in the south east, so maybe not much help.
although maybe they could do it online? I'll ask dp

milou2 · 09/09/2008 21:52

It links to the the-underdogs.org and I can't see any spelling mistakes, it looks really interesting.

I like the screen shot look.

morningpaper · 09/09/2008 21:55

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeetttt!!!!

agree, email them and explain and tell them to be kind

Shoegazer · 09/09/2008 21:57

What a great website, it looks like they have worked so hard on it!

quint · 09/09/2008 21:58

It sounds to me like they're doing just fine by themselves. I wouldn't email the company but moniter emails coming in to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Good for them to have the confidence to do this.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 09/09/2008 21:59

Thats pretty cool Well done to him!!!

btw there are a couple of interesting 'teaching to program' sites for interested kids;
theres scratch and then if thats too simple theres phrogram - which I havent used.

ravenAK · 09/09/2008 22:07

Bless, that's not at all a bad effort. You should be v proud

dinasaw · 10/09/2008 08:22

They've done a good job on it. I would point out someone is using a real name on the blog. The name appears after their online name. Could you speak to your son and get him to remove it?
Keep on checking his emails!
My eldest was 12 when he started chatting to people in msn chatrooms and then on messenger. He would wait for someone to ask to speak to a kid and then he would 'pose' as a kid and chat to them for a bit and suss them out. When he was sure they were an adult he would launch an attack on them, remote access their computers and make the cd drive open and close etc, send them little viruses etc.
We had no idea he was doing this until he told us one day and we sat watching him do this and explain the whole thing to us. His argument was that by messing about with their computers he was stopping them from talking to kids who didn't know what they were up to.

mamadiva · 10/09/2008 08:28

I think it's really good at his age!

Setting up his own little business .

I'd probably send an email to the company he mailed explaining his age and sufggest they send him a mail saying something like.

Thnak you for your interest but unforunately we cannot process your request as you are under 18, but feel free to mail us again at this point.

MmeLindt · 10/09/2008 08:32

That is really great.

Dinasaw
LOL at your online policeman to be

Turniphead1 · 10/09/2008 09:40

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

tiredemma · 10/09/2008 09:44

that is fantastic!!

QuintessentialShadow · 10/09/2008 09:57

Fantastic! I am really impressed!

Does he like Scratch?

My son makes games in Scratch, he is photographing things to include in the games, such as his lego star wars Xwing, Star Wars figures, and once he made a game featuring a bird ds2 had made in nursery.
My son is a lot younger than yours so wont get to use the computer unupervised, and has
not been allowed to use email etc.

It is amazinly skilfull what your son has done, I would just sit back and let him learn. He has a passion, encourage it! Monitor it, but intervene only if there is something nasty. You must be so proud!

oops · 10/09/2008 09:58

Message withdrawn

neverforget · 10/09/2008 10:00

I think your ds is fantastic, keep encouraging him! Can he come and build my website lol, he will probably do a better job than me

snowleopard · 10/09/2008 10:06

I used to work at a children's book publisher and we used to get letters from 9-year-olds correcting mistakes they found in our books, or commenting on them. We loved it! To me that's the sign of an individual and interested child who will probably go a long way. We might have laughed, but only in an "Oh how sweet!" way - and we used to write back too.

Also I think your DS's letter makes total business sense. They should be asking 9-year-olds how to improve their site, shouldn't they?

minorbird · 10/09/2008 10:14

Oh Mrs Snape, thats brilliant! You should so encourage him, as much as possible. Could he take extra IT classes at school. Tak out programming books from the library that he would understand? Insist that his lazy dad to take him to his workplace/appointment etc...

I think those who are crazy enough to beleive they can change the world usually do! And at 12 years old, thats some ambition! Nuture it.

junkcollector · 10/09/2008 11:29

How brilliant! The website is cool too.

Hope my DS is as entrepreneurial at 9.

I would explain to the American Company on the off chance they see his potential and support him in some way.

Megglevache · 10/09/2008 11:40

bumping to spread the word.

EachPeachPearMum · 10/09/2008 13:48

MrsS- that site is great! Please, please encourage his interest!

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