[cwoolfe]

Writing software is easier in 2020 than it was when I started in 2002. Coding education is more accessible, Coding platforms are more inviting, languages are more forgiving, IDEs are more helpful, we have millions of answers on stackoverflow, and there are open-source libraries that have probably implemented whatever irks you. That being said, for the professional, I have found no substitute for the academic rigor of a good CS curriculum to shape how we think about organizing and engineering code well.

[gdubs]

So, maybe for a professional it’s easier. I feel that way about making iOS apps — better time to start than ever!

But there’s almost a ‘choice paralysis’ today. People have so many options they don’t know where to start.

Not sure anything comes close to opening up BASIC or HyperCard and just making something, and seeing the results immediately.

Agreed on the fundamentals — as a mostly self taught programmer, it took me a long time to learn and understand the power of computer science concepts.

[cwoolfe]

Definitely agree there is a choice paralysis, especially among web technologies. I'm thankful that Apple iOS usually only has one way to do most common things. I think that kind of leadership is helpful when the alternative is choice paralysis. The flipside is that it constrains those who have a legitimate reason to do it differently.