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Why can't I write code inside my browser?

tomcritchlow.com

121–130 of 624 posts

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#121
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please demonstrate your simple alternative and its acceptance testing on real users.

Why? You are allowed to point out failings without having a perfect solution at hand.

He's asking you to back up your assertations. If all you have is an easily produced vague thought then it can be dismissed just as easily.

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#122
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please demonstrate your simple alternative and its acceptance testing on real users.

Why? You are allowed to point out failings without having a perfect solution at hand.

It's just kind of .. pathetic, to make statements like:

> Programming is massively over-complicated for no useful reason

And then offer absolutely no justification for why this is the case, and to shrug off any questions as to what obvious improvements could be made.

You offer no useful contributions to the conversation by doing this. None.

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#123
post #96

I try to keep my comments nice on HN but in this case I can't, I've met this kind of person many times now and I just can't hold back. The author is lazy, and is channeling his energy into complaining rather than learning. He believes he is by default an expert on the 'user friendliness' of programming. His comments don't really make much sense, and come across as whining that should be ignored. "People hate command…

There people are not made to be programmers. Having tried various visual tools over the years, they are at best no better than writing code, and at worst a lot less productive and powerful. They are only suitable for very basic tasks like email journeys.

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#124
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mentioned Glitch and Replit in the article - they're great and I love them but there's still something missing about relying on these platforms imho. I think cementing a default coding environment right into the browser would make it a lot more accessible - and actually be much closer to real coding where you're manipulating files and running code. Plus: glitch/replit are quite slow to do any real coding inside of vs…

But why stop there? Let’s bundle something like Excel or Powerpoint, or Photoshop or Final Cut. If we’re deciding to bundle additional software with a browser, why would a programming environment (chosen based on someone’s favorite language) be top priority?

Because installing Excel is simple already

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#125
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The author is 100% correct on everything. Programming is massively over-complicated for no useful reason. Programmers tend to get very proud of the completely pointless knowledge they have to acquire to use the pointlessly complicated tools they do, and they confuse that with being clever. It's not. It's really not. Nothing has to be this esoteric and annoying. We've just chosen to keep things like this because we th…

Please demonstrate your simple alternative and its acceptance testing on real users.

Try this tutorial [0]. It shows how to build a web component using JavaScript with just a text editor and browser. No Node, no $PATH, no build tools, no framework, and it's useful for any beginning web developer. Happy to improve it with any suggestions, as I want to make web development easier for beginners.

[0] https://tutorials.yax.com/learn/your-first-custom-html-tag/i...

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please explain how the command-line is pointless. If investing time into learning the ins and outs of a complicated system does not make you clever then please explain to me what does make someone clever?

"The command line" is not pointless. The current popular implementation of a command line, is, however, pointlessly complicated and esoteric for no real gain. It could be improved massively.

Which one? Please explain how it's pointless. What is esoteric about typing which program you want to run?

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#127
post #96

I try to keep my comments nice on HN but in this case I can't, I've met this kind of person many times now and I just can't hold back. The author is lazy, and is channeling his energy into complaining rather than learning. He believes he is by default an expert on the 'user friendliness' of programming. His comments don't really make much sense, and come across as whining that should be ignored. "People hate command…

The author is 100% correct on everything. Programming is massively over-complicated for no useful reason. Programmers tend to get very proud of the completely pointless knowledge they have to acquire to use the pointlessly complicated tools they do, and they confuse that with being clever. It's not. It's really not. Nothing has to be this esoteric and annoying. We've just chosen to keep things like this because we th…

"Programming can and should be much, much more user friendly than it is now."

While there's no doubt there are some libraries/tools/systems which are poorly designed, perceived complexity may often be due to the requirement to support a wide variety of new and legacy systems or to support layers of the tech stack that many people are not even aware of.

"We've just chosen to keep things like this because we think it makes us clever."

If I could make my job any simpler I would jump at the opportunity. Personally I often marvel at how relatively quick and easy it is to quickly develop useful programs.

Perhaps if you try implementing some of these more simple tools the reasons for the underlying complexity will reveal themselves.

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#128
post #96

I try to keep my comments nice on HN but in this case I can't, I've met this kind of person many times now and I just can't hold back. The author is lazy, and is channeling his energy into complaining rather than learning. He believes he is by default an expert on the 'user friendliness' of programming. His comments don't really make much sense, and come across as whining that should be ignored. "People hate command…

Thank you!!! Finally someone can say it. I've being extremely frustrated by developers who don't want to learn coding and just jumping on the band wagon cause it is the "IN" thing now.

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#129
post #96

I try to keep my comments nice on HN but in this case I can't, I've met this kind of person many times now and I just can't hold back. The author is lazy, and is channeling his energy into complaining rather than learning. He believes he is by default an expert on the 'user friendliness' of programming. His comments don't really make much sense, and come across as whining that should be ignored. "People hate command…

The author is 100% correct on everything. Programming is massively over-complicated for no useful reason. Programmers tend to get very proud of the completely pointless knowledge they have to acquire to use the pointlessly complicated tools they do, and they confuse that with being clever. It's not. It's really not. Nothing has to be this esoteric and annoying. We've just chosen to keep things like this because we th…

While I understand and recognize the frustration with programming today, I wonder if comments like these have any sort of factual basis to them. What exactly is over-complicated for no useful reason? And what are the ways to fix this? I haven't looked at every "coding for non-coders" app, but all I've seen fail in offering the same functionality as coding in itself does. How would the ideal way to programm look like where you have the same freedoms you have with todays languages, tools, frameworks, etc. while still being easy and intuitive to use?

Re: Why can't I write code inside my browser?

#130
post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please explain how the command-line is pointless. If investing time into learning the ins and outs of a complicated system does not make you clever then please explain to me what does make someone clever?

Not using a complicated system when you don't have to.

Node.js is a command line program, intended for writing server side applications on headless servers.
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