These are not the most compelling tools to begin with. I know how to use Git and markdown, but I still use Google Docs for most things. The key differentiating

These are not the most compelling tools to begin with. I know how to use Git and markdown, but I still use Google Docs for most things. The key differentiating feature of programming is interactivity, and the most interactive programs are games, which is why they're so great for teaching. You can't make a game with Spotlight search. I always tell people to start with HTML because it gives instant visual feedback, all you need is notepad, and it gets you used to typing words in a text file. Pretty soon they want interactivity, and suddenly they're learning Javascript.