We can bash Apple that they did not turn the masses into programmers at the same time, but it’s far from obvious this is even possible (on the contrary). And, at least for me, a hackable software device is a device that can be broken more easily, thus compromising the first and most important principle of usability. It’s so refreshing to be able to tell people that they don’t have to worry about the device, because there is almost nothing they could break, no matter how hard they try.
Also, this sounds awfully condescending:
I think one of the main consequences of the inventions of personal computing and the world wide Internet is that everyone gets to be a potential participant, and this means that we now have the entire bell curve of humanity trying to be part of the action. This will dilute good design (almost stamp it out) until mass education can help most people get more savvy about what the new medium is all about. (This is not a fast process). What we have now is not dissimilar to the pop music scene vs the developed music culture (the former has almost driven out the latter -- and this is only possible where there is too little knowledge and taste to prevent it). Not a pretty sight.
It’s like someone has got the whole computer interaction thing sorted out and is just waiting for the rest of the idiots to catch up. With all respect to Alan Kay, I’m not buying that.