[dangwu]

I'm disagreeing with OP's suggestion that giving computer manuals to kids is a "fairly effective way to create world-changing computer engineers."

[fao_]

You could give computer manuals, but you have to:

a) praise achievement not intelligence

and

b) Create an interest first. Maybe make it seem like magic or show something that you can do with it.

[lacampbell]

And I think it depends on the kid, and the fact that smart phones exists now makes little difference.