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Touch screens are much more efficient that keyboard and mice for some types of input (not for others: e.g. typing). Not only that, the intuitiveness of an obvious "hands-on" touch-screen interface allows toddlers to learn to use it before they even learn to speak (I've seen it first hand, as I guess many others must have). I believe there are forms of programming that can be done better with a touch-based interface. It's just that programming languages and tools have to evolve until we get there. When we get there, I believe it will mostly obliterate the current approaches to programming, the same way we're not entering machine code manually through a front-mounted panel with LEDs, or writing assembly language. Of course some exceptions always remain.



Don't you think having your hands in front of the screen is inherently problematic? It's hard to image where that would enhance efficiency.


Input of Chinese/Japanese characters.


Being able to draw enhances that. Having your fingers in the way does not. That's a use case for a stylus or a pen, as they don't block your vision nearly as much as a hand does.


No way. Nobody is going to take my keyboard away and have me poking one finger around on a smudgy screen, and still call it programming. So many ways that is worse. Pipe dream.


I know right? Touch screens are just perfect for finger painting. Still, I prefer an Etch-a-Sketch if rectilinear lines are required.




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