We write computer programs with a keyboard, a device originally designed for writing English prose. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it is a very good device for that. Consider some possibilities for improvement:
* Redesign a computer language to look more like English prose. Mostly it means getting rid of a lot of the punctuation that languages like Perl and C++ have become enamored. However, what displays on screen does not necessarily have to be what you type.
* Completely redesign a computer language for modern input devices. Perhaps mouse, stylus, speech, gestures, touchscreens, and 3D displays can all play a part. Technologies which don't exist yet could make things interesting.
* Aggresively rethink how the current keyboard is used for coding. Think of the keys not as a way merely to type identifiers and reserved words, but a 100+ button box for selecting items in one keystroke. Even more choices if chords. Perhaps some aggressive predictive text. I feel the right hand numeric keypad could be used more. However, distant keys will take a long time for the fingers to reach.
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