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Comment by Sakos | Hacker News Reader

On that note, termux is really freaking cool. It almost feels like I have Linux on a phone and makes me a bit sad that we have Android instead (yes, yes, I know it's technically based on Linux, but we all know that's not really the same thing).

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Termux + nvim has enabled many from underpriviliged backgrounds who cannot afford a computer to get into programming and build a career for themselves.

Termux & F-Droid is so underrated.

standing up for the little man:

smartphones and tables are computers too!

That sounds ridiculous. If you can afford an android device then you can afford a $50 used laptop.

Here's a proof - https://twitter.com/cyb3rops/status/1548961346104053764

There are more such stories in Termux forums and in News sites.

There's no way that guy can't afford $50 for a used laptop.

He doesn't appear to say that he can't either - it's just a screenshot of termux. Guess what? I've also taken screenshots of termux. It's neat. If all you have is your phone or tablet, it works.

On his twitter page the only thing I see is a screenshot of gnome-terminal. So I guess he can indeed afford it.

Also lolled at "Volunteer Software Developer at @osintforukraine"

I imagine it's probably more than just price. A laptop is less portable and requires a backpack to carry it, and requires access to wall sockets to continuously charge it. You may be at greater risk of being robbed, and the people around you may have distrust of such technology or there may be other social factors at play. You also have to have the digital literacy to operate a full blown desktop operating system (may not be as much of a problem for people who figured out Termux, but Android is still much simpler in general).

Plus if someone has an Android device it doesn't mean they were easily able to afford it, it could've been a gift from long ago, or a hand-me-down, or required years of hard work to get, etc

>You may be at greater risk of being robbed

Isn't a phone a bigger target for theft??

Physically, no :-D

Why not? More people need smartphones than PCs, therefore there's a bigger market for them both legal and stolen.

PCs are more of a niche now.

I was just joking that a phone is physically smaller.

Used electronics of decent quality is really difficult to come across in third world countries.

There is both a cultural reason and an economic reason, people just keep their stuff longer instead of replacing it when the next generation technology is available.

I helped out at a computer repair shop as a teenager and the stuff people kept asking you repair were in really bad shape.

You need a phone to participate in society. Many people are in situations where they can afford a cheap phone and that's it.

>Termux + nvim has enabled many from underpriviliged backgrounds who cannot afford a computer to get into programming and build a career for themselves.

Really? Where? AFAIK even in poor countries, outdated old tower PCs over 10-15 years old, can be had for peanuts or even free if you go dumpster diving for parts through the imported e-waste scrap and build one yourself. No need to resort to using your phone as a computer.

Power it how? Stable electricity is not a given.

But you can power a smartphone enough to for long coding sessions?

The phone has a built in UPS for unstable power or rolling blackouts.

Also consider the power consumption of a smartphone vs a 10-15 year old PC.

This is still on the front page: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39097681

The author says:

> I waited eagerly for the new release but got so excited I built this huge C++ project from source on my smartphone just to integrate lone with it

> No need to resort to using your phone as a computer.

I think you don't understand what it's like where I come from (India). Everyone has an android phone. Even kids who have never seen a laptop in their lives. If I was one of those kids, it would be quite unimaginable to go out and acquire a computer just to start programming. If I can just get started on my phone the barrier to entry is 10x lower.

True GNU/Linux phones exist.

Sent from my Librem 5.

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