The main difference between then and now is that back then you stumbled upon it, and now you need to make a concerted effort to find out where to start.
Yeah I guess our popular end user products are much more polished now and don't force you to get your hands dirty. I remember you couldn't even start a game without typing some cryptic code into the computer. So that extra push isn't there anymore and you can easily use all of this technology without ever learning anything. On the other hand, I think we now have much more information available and easily accessible for those who do choose to get involved.
Completely agree, and I think the problem I'm trying to solve is making sure every kid has the chance to find out whether they want to know more by showing them at a young age that it's actually an option that's open to them.
It's like how car engines used to be completely exposed under the hood, now it's all hidden under plastic panels.