http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/item/8193/ (Note: I'M NOT recommending BASIC here, read further...)

Way back when all home computers powered on instantly to an OK prompt where you could type in BASIC programs. This encouraged a lot of hobbyists to experiment and become programmers.

These days, all computers can still be programmed by the user but either you have to download a giant, intimidating dev environment, or you have to dig around to find the scripting language for your system and dig much further to find docs.

Since Ubuntu is based on programming by its users, I think it should encourage programming by installing, distributing, promoting a friendly scripting IDE. Probably Python since it has fairly simple syntax.

Pippy could be back-ported to Ubuntu:

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Pippy

It should come with a friendly tutorial utilizing lots of cartoons (like the old Getting Started With Color BASIC for the TRS-80 CoCo).

Also, like the OLPC XO-1, you should be able to easily get to the source of any script based programs on your system. If it's written in Python, be able to right-click it and pop it up in the friendly IDE.

[14 votes] Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #8193


]]> en-us Wed, 07 May 2008 16:37:29 +0000 Sat, 10 May 2008 19:37:54 +0000 QAPoll module http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/8193/
Personally, I think this would be a great way to nudge users into the mindset of open source. It will make the value proposition more clear. An open OS and apps aren't just a canned product. It is a maleable thing that the user can reshape and augment to solve their own problems.]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 17:59:25 +0000 Wed, 07 May 2008 19:55:34 +0000
What I'm really like to see is a systemtap plugin for eclipse]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 01:56:44 +0000 It really can't be a hard thing to do, but there seems to be a lot of resistance/controversy about this issue (at least based on the demotions to my idea).
I think it's unfair to say "use eclipse" since a newbie would not even know about eclipse. There has to be an even simpler/easier way to get at editing and compiling/building the source.]]> Sat, 10 May 2008 19:37:54 +0000