ryantxr

Google launched App Inventor which will allow non-developers to create Android apps.  This is something of a misnomer.  If you write code or connect blocks, then you are a developer.  You are just using a different interface. 

What this really does is to try to get individuals who don't think of themselves as developers to make apps for Android.  This approach has been tried before.  Make a tool that does not look like a developer tool and try to convince others that non-developers can now do what developers did in the past.  In a sense, this is only smoke and mirrors.  Here's why.

The concept of making an application involves designing and logic.  The person building the app has to decide how the app should behave.  What inputs does it get?  What does it do with that input?  In classical programming, this was done with code.  As we have moved forward, tools have been created to hide some of this code from the application creators. Think of spreadsheets. Don't they do a form of this?  This is another one of those tools.

Don't get me wrong, I think this is a great step forward for two reasons.

1) Actual developers will use the tool to gain productivity.  Anything that can be done to improve productivity in developing applications is good.

2) Some individuals who do not consider themselves developers will try this out and perhaps like it.  They may well proceed to do more and perhaps try coding one day.

Google's App Inventor is a good idea to try to change the game.  Apple has engaged developers in a really smart way, by appealing to their wallets.  You can make money doing it. Google is attempting to be disruptive and to make inroads where no one thought inroads were possible.  Will it succeed?  My take is that it will be moderately successful.  I don't see gangs of non-developers flocking to this.

Here is the article on Mashable