Scratch

Maybe we could find a project somewhere that screensaverizes java, then we'd be halfway there.

I think it's symptomatic of a large trend I've been noticing in the progression of software.  There's been some talk over the years about a "software problem," and how large amounts of processing power doesn't necessarily allow you to do anything interesting with that power.  What we're really seeing is that more power opens new avenues around problems.

It takes a certain amount of computational power to create an entire layer of abstraction.  If you're really soaking in cycles, then you can create bold abstractions; you can pretend yourself onto whatever kind of computer (from the infinite intricate variety imaginable) makes your problem easiest.  Scratch is an example of how bold an abstraction it's possible to make with how much power we have now.

I believe that soon hard programming, talking to actual boring things like operating systems or devices, will be only the very lowest level of abstraction in a tower that's tall enough that everyone in our society has a meaningful place in it.  Computers will begin to become for everyone in the world what they've always been for programmers: A tool constructed of imagination, capable of absolutely anything.

What's needed from the old-school programmers is to wire things up, like making it easy to turn a Scratch project into a screensaver.  Strong branches to bring power up to the energizing leaves.

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