Early 80s computers start up with a BASIC prompt and hence encourage you to learn programming right away.
Why don't smartphones do something similar?
Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
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Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#2Early 80s computers were a niche market largely sold to people interested in computers and programming.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#3Why... why would they?
Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#4It's more profitable to sell apps and micro-transactions through their respective walled gardens.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#5I'd argue that a mobile phone is not an adequate platform for coding. The touchscreen and keyboard layouts make it difficult to type needed symbols, distracting from the problem at hand.
Coding requires deep thought, but phones are optimized for moving around rather than sitting in one place and thinking. As such, use cases like maps, calendars, communication and alarms get priority.
The reason people buy a phone is to communicate and get around. And manufacturers cater to those needs.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#6Probably because natural language will supercede progranming language soon: https://youtu.be/PgT8tPChbqc
Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#7Because they're not equivalent to 80s computers, they're equivalent to 80s TVs.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#8Probably because natural language will supercede progranming language soon: https://youtu.be/PgT8tPChbqc
This was not on the horizon when smartphones were becoming popular.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#9Smartphones were designed to do the opposite, they will never do that. The worst thing is that desktop development has been influenced by mobile and become just as restrictive.
Re: Ask HN: Why don't smartphones encourage programming like early 80s computers?
#10Early 80s computers were a niche market largely sold to people interested in computers and programming.
Everyone was talking automation of business early 80s. Home computers were for gaming and programming, but PCs were meant for non programmers. Even some of the home computers were pushed for business or at least non tech users.