At 11:54 PM 2/02/2015, Stephen Loosley wrote:

>Now, a shift is underway in software and service design whereby the 
>programming command and control of all these devices in this complex connected 
>world will rely on “casual programming” by their owners. That is, giving 
>every day, non-programming people the tools, services and APIs usually 
>reserved for the tech elite to program their own devices in a friendly, easy 
>and accessible manner. 
>
>Thus, we will soon see the worldwide emergence of the casual programmer. 

I hope this will be an optional aspect rather than a requirement for running 
devices that aren't now thought of as 'computers'. Granted, there are some in 
the community who will be able to cope, but a great majority who won't if they 
have to program. Now confess. How many of us have rellies whose devices with a 
simple clock still show 12:00, or probably more likely, the offset of time from 
when they had their last power outage? If they can't 'casually program' the 
clock by using menus, controlling much else than that is going to be a real 
challenge.

Your post, Stephen, raised other questions for me. With all this online 
connection what about:
- when software crashes (which it does - and circuit boards fry, too -- my 
central heating unit cost me >$500 to replace it!)
- when the crackers figure out how to bypass any password controls (if any) and 
start turning off people's fridges, and the software needs updating
- when all that 'miniscule' amount of extra data hits the government 
intentionally crippled network because owners think one day they will need to 
tell the aircon to turn on an hour before they come home from the office if 
they haven't set a timer on the device before they left (not saying that 
clearly; it's early in the day for me)

If we, as a species and according to our "illustrious" treasurer, are going to 
live to 150 (probably not too copus mentus), this idea of 'casual programming' 
is going to be quite interesting....

Jan


I write books. http://janwhitaker.com/?page_id=8

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jw...@janwhitaker.com
Twitter: <https://twitter.com/JL_Whitaker>JL_Whitaker
Blog: www.janwhitaker.com 

Sooner or later, I hate to break it to you, you're gonna die, so how do you 
fill in the space between here and there? It's yours. Seize your space. 
~Margaret Atwood, writer 

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