Full disclosure: Our demo and Altair BASIC was a way to develop native iPhone apps in the cloud, from a tablet or other device. We wanted to expand to Android apps, and eventually be a general cloud compile/debug/run service.
Personally, I think it's a dumb RFS to begin with. From a professional standpoint, I couldn't handle developing on anything else but two 24+ inch monitors (if not three) and a mechanical keyboard.
Not that I couldn't do it on a laptop or tablet, it just makes me about 300x more productive -- and that's what matters.
I think that in the future it might be possible that developing on a tablet might just mean hooking your tablet or other sub $300 device up to two 24+ inch monitors. Think developing iPhone apps from a $25 Raspberry Pi, thanks to the cloud :-)
It should be possible to code on a tablet because thats the device most kids will have access to as their first computer.
My first (and most people on HN) computer I turned it on and the OS simply waited for me to give it an instruction.
That is important in lots of ways, not just in the IPO in two years ways.
Well when I type on a on a 10 inch tab - two thoughts cross my head A) This is not working B) This could work given a bit more size and refinement.
So I would not discount tablets as dev devices. Perhaps not as a hardcore workstation, but as a starbucks dev station sure - soon.
A bit more size and refinement, a nice keyboard, and a stand gets you a 11-12" laptop.
No it doesn't. No hinge & typing space is also display space under some conditions e.g. browsing.
Why not - If I can smoothly transfer touch typing skills then thats a pretty big win.
> huge waste of space on an already small screen.
Hence my comment about slightly larger screen. I can almost touch type on a 10 inch...bit more and it could work. The capacitative aspect might even work better than a physical keyboard for "touch" typing.
Full disclosure: Our demo and Altair BASIC was a way to develop native iPhone apps in the cloud. We wanted to expand to Android apps, and eventually be a general cloud compile/debug/run service.