> Companies like Apple endlessly mouth their desire to get more kids to code, then their arms release devices so closed off that even trying to take a quick peek at how they work triggers eighteen system integrity protection alarms. You can't have it both ways, Apple.

Apple C-Suites: "We want kids to code."

Apple Ads: "What's a computer?"

Whilst it might be me, somebody somewhere doesn't understand something.

I think you're underestimating the convergence of tablets and PCs here.

I edit 4k video on my iPad, edit pictures, memes, do a bit of drawing with Procreate. I'm by no means professional at any of these things, but it isn't the tools holding me back.

I don't see any reason not to use Excel or Numbers or what have you on an iPad with the keyboard. I'm sure it would work fine.

I know a couple professional music producers who do the bulk of their work on a tablet now.

What hasn't made it to tablets is coding environments. Codea and Swift Playgrounds feel like toys to me.

But it's only a matter of time. I think "decades, if it ever happens" is entirely too pessimistic, it's more "now, if you want it", for most of those things.

And it's definitely not "literally no one". It's more people than you think.

I agree with your point, but remember that the average person ten years ago was just as technically illiterate.

We look through rose colored glasses because, back then, we were able to use Excel, Word, (insert your program of choice). The people in our social circle were also able to use them. However, this was almost entirely because of who we hung out with.

The shift to closed devices (may) eventually have an effect on hobbyists, in the same way that the average person no longer knows how to change the oil in their car, but for now there's little evidence that iPhones and tablets are limiting the number of young, competent programmers (or even the number of IT hobbyists in general).