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Comment by TuringTest | Hacker News Reader

Not all programming is akin to building a house. Some of it is similar to hanging a shelf in the kitchen. Why should it take an architect to drill the holes and fasten the wall plugs to hang a spice rack?

Sure it might need some training, but it should be the kind that can be explained in a DIY TV show.

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Why should it take an architect to drill the holes and fasten the wall plugs to hang a spice rack?

But the person hanging the shelf should have enough of a grasp of mechanics so it doesn't fall down. They should know enough basic physics and chemistry so they don't install something prone to corroding. If they encounter asbestos or old lead paint while installing, they should know enough to know what to do about that, and what not to do.

Most of the work in programming is in describing (in very strict and pendantic terms) how different systems interact with each other and how the data flows from one end to another. The actual work of moving the data and doing all the calculations is handled by machines. In that sense, the work done in programming is designing and integrating systems, not the execution of it. In your analogy, installing a shelf would be more like installing Photoshop (which we can presumably agree is actually simpler than installing a shelf). Most people do not design their own shelf, select the most appropriate fasteners, source raw materials and send it to manufacturing to be mass-produced. A shelf is also a relatively simple piece of furniture. What about a desk-drawer or a closet? Sure, you can buy the raw materials and power tools at any hardware store, but is it trivial for anyone to actually design and build usable (and desirable) furniture from pieces of plywood?

True that, but those do-it-yourself people use different tools and methods compared to professional architects and builders. So maybe the original article should be read as ”why there are not more dedicated, simple tools for non-educated do-it-yourself tinkerers”. A sensible question as such, but I don’t buy the conclusion that we should blame the nerds / academia.

If some business owner finds a way to monetize such tools, nerds will be happy to implement. Just as those do-it-yourself fix-your-home books and tools have been monetized and implemented.

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