4 ms·

I do a lot of freelance and I can't tell you how many businesses I've worked with who had some need that was just a smidge more than their current software woul

by scroot 7y ago

I do a lot of freelance and I can't tell you how many businesses I've worked with who had some need that was just a smidge more than their current software would allow. If there was something in between using an interface and learning a full-fledged programming stack from first principles, it would go a long way. Part of this goes towards getting people -- both today's mainstream developers and users -- to think hard about what using a personal computer should mean. I can't think of a better definition of programming than "telling a computer what to do." That should be the first hint.

tonyarkles 7y ago
This came up the other day in a different thread but I think it bears repeating. I am generally an Electron hater, but there’s this huge opportunity for applications to provide access to a JS REPL inside Electron apps to give users the ability to tweak apps to fit their needs. Not just a “we’ve included scripting functionality” like eg VBA gives you, but access to the whole damned thing! I can dream anyway.
- pac39 7y ago
  How much would you pay for such a proprietary tool?
TeMPOraL 7y ago
That's part of the reason why Emacs has this kind of cult following. There's always something you need that's "just a smidge more" than your Emacs can do, but it's very easy to just code up that missing bit. It might be not for casual user (requires learning some basics of programming), but then again, the legend goes that secretaries used to use Emacs and like it, for similar reasons people like Excel today - they need something extra, they can make it themselves on the spot.
- eitland 7y ago
  And another thing people should learn from that, never underestimate secretaries, accountants etc. It is often good to limit what non admins can do to the system, servers, their computer os etc. We should also limit who has access to sensitive data. But I think often companies could be more productive if they taught their employees to script a bit.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 7y ago
    > And another thing people should learn from that, never underestimate secretaries, accountants etc. It is difficult for the modern developer to think of users as anything other than dumb cattle, because doing so would raise ethical concerns about their high-engagement eyeball-farming products.
  - p_l 7y ago
    Back with Multics, secretaries were given Emacs as editor, and they had access to a manual on writing lisp code for it... With no mention anywhere that it was programming in one of the most capable languages of the time (MACLISP on Multics). In short time, many secretaries that honestly believed that "programming wasn't for them and was too hard" had written lots and lots of automation for their daily tasks. Cava was their Hypercard. http://www.gnu.org/gnu/rms-lisp.en.html http://www.gnu.org/gnu/rms-lisp.en.html
disqard 7y ago
I've been working on something like this, a visual programming language called BlockStudio [1] 1. www.blockstud.io

by scroot 7y ago

tonyarkles 7y ago

This came up the other day in a different thread but I think it bears repeating. I am generally an Electron hater, but there’s this huge opportunity for applications to provide access to a JS REPL inside Electron apps to give users the ability to tweak apps to fit their needs. Not just a “we’ve included scripting functionality” like eg VBA gives you, but access to the whole damned thing! I can dream anyway.

pac39 7y ago
How much would you pay for such a proprietary tool?

TeMPOraL 7y ago

That's part of the reason why Emacs has this kind of cult following. There's always something you need that's "just a smidge more" than your Emacs can do, but it's very easy to just code up that missing bit. It might be not for casual user (requires learning some basics of programming), but then again, the legend goes that secretaries used to use Emacs and like it, for similar reasons people like Excel today - they need something extra, they can make it themselves on the spot.

eitland 7y ago
And another thing people should learn from that, never underestimate secretaries, accountants etc. It is often good to limit what non admins can do to the system, servers, their computer os etc. We should also limit who has access to sensitive data. But I think often companies could be more productive if they taught their employees to script a bit.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 7y ago
  > And another thing people should learn from that, never underestimate secretaries, accountants etc. It is difficult for the modern developer to think of users as anything other than dumb cattle, because doing so would raise ethical concerns about their high-engagement eyeball-farming products.
- p_l 7y ago
  Back with Multics, secretaries were given Emacs as editor, and they had access to a manual on writing lisp code for it... With no mention anywhere that it was programming in one of the most capable languages of the time (MACLISP on Multics). In short time, many secretaries that honestly believed that "programming wasn't for them and was too hard" had written lots and lots of automation for their daily tasks. Cava was their Hypercard. http://www.gnu.org/gnu/rms-lisp.en.html http://www.gnu.org/gnu/rms-lisp.en.html

disqard 7y ago

I've been working on something like this, a visual programming language called BlockStudio [1] 1. www.blockstud.io