folk programming

[Mel Chua]

http://infotrope.net/2009/07/26/forking-encouraged-folk-programming-open-source-and-social-software-development/

<snip>

He identifies five things necessary for a real folk programming environment:

Create your own code.
View, clone, and modify someone else’s code.
Free, always-on, ubiquitous hosting.
Huge array of diverse data sources.
Code creates new data for use by others.
</snip>

Also -- the note on embracing cargo cult programming made me think. So many people denigrate it, but it is a legitimate way to get started -- after all, beginning musicians play music they haven't composed and try to imitate famous records, beginning artists will camp out at museums copying sketches and masterworks... why not the same when it comes to technology? Why do we look down on it so much?