>> There aren't that many places in 2025 where getting a phone with internet is significantly cheaper than getting some scrappy laptop or desktop.
No, but it's not a choice between a phone and a laptop. You NEED a phone. So you use what you've got. I've done work helping developers in less developed countries and you frequently find they're sending screenshots of code they've written on phones.
I assume he means people are too poor to have multiple devices, and if you only have one it's probably a phone. That said I'm dubious anyone who only has a phone is doing meaningful coding
Huh, makes you wonder if it's actually doing it on his phone or if he has a keyboard and maybe dock and monitor he attaches it to. I suppose my original comment was too broad, there was a point not too long ago when everyone wanted to replace their laptop with their phone. Samsung even let you dual boot linux from your phone with DeX
There are countries where the market for PCs and laptops is really tiny and the stores sell them at markups compared to US/European prices. Many of these countries are low wage countries, too, so these markups have a big impact on affordability.
Having the means doesn't mean the would-be programmer is in charge of the purse. I got my start coding at the local library because my parents wouldn't get me my own computer until I was in high school.
there are going to be quite a lot of places where getting a laptop is a considerable expense
Why does it have to be a laptop, and why does it need to be new?
There aren't that many places in 2025 where getting a phone with internet is significantly cheaper than getting some scrappy laptop or desktop.
>> There aren't that many places in 2025 where getting a phone with internet is significantly cheaper than getting some scrappy laptop or desktop.
No, but it's not a choice between a phone and a laptop. You NEED a phone. So you use what you've got. I've done work helping developers in less developed countries and you frequently find they're sending screenshots of code they've written on phones.
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I assume he means people are too poor to have multiple devices, and if you only have one it's probably a phone. That said I'm dubious anyone who only has a phone is doing meaningful coding
There is this guy: https://github.com/OXY2DEV/markview.nvim/issues/216#issuecom.... I haven‘t used his plugin, but it seems quite popular (+3k stars). I guess ergonomics don‘t matter so much yet when you are young..
Huh, makes you wonder if it's actually doing it on his phone or if he has a keyboard and maybe dock and monitor he attaches it to. I suppose my original comment was too broad, there was a point not too long ago when everyone wanted to replace their laptop with their phone. Samsung even let you dual boot linux from your phone with DeX
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The initial version of Copyparty seems to have been written on a phone: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46056869
There are countries where the market for PCs and laptops is really tiny and the stores sell them at markups compared to US/European prices. Many of these countries are low wage countries, too, so these markups have a big impact on affordability.
Having the means doesn't mean the would-be programmer is in charge of the purse. I got my start coding at the local library because my parents wouldn't get me my own computer until I was in high school.