[ghjfrdghibt]

My initial reaction was: Why?!

But fair play, I find it hard enough to program on a keyboard.

[oneeyedpigeon]

Maybe it was a form of self-enforced focus, a bit like those "distraction-free" writing apps.

[ICameToComment]

No. They don't have any other hardware to work on. It's out of necessity, not choice. That reddit thread is in fact talking about a Gofundme and sending them an used laptop but they refused because they expect a lot of trouble actually getting it.