Re: Re Linux Desktop
I think most people who grew up with a ZX81 used BASIC.
Hitting the metal directly is frowned on these days for all kinds of reasons - but mainly because lots of clever people will have already written a kernel for you, so why would you think that a teenager learning to program would make a better job of it? Why would you want to have to build your own networking, security and memory management modules when your task is to transmit video from a webcam, for example?
Those kids are learning useful contemporary skills, I doubt they're much interested in earning bragging rights about how old fashioned they are on niche forums.