Phones and tablets are just locked down computers, not appliances. Do you want your laptop to be like that? Why not? Why is that any different than your tablet? Spoiler: It's not.
Some people only have access to tablets and phones. Let them have the freedom we had to create something. With that freedom, maybe one of them grows up and creates the next Apple, only without the cruelty and greed.
Again: it is cheaper and easier than ever to get a "real" computer. They're at thrift stores for like $50-100, with peripherals. Raspberry Pi alone has sold over thirty million units. If a bright kid with a good idea asked for one on HN I bet a dozen people would ship their extras to them for free. Computers are given away for free pretty regularly on Craigslist and Facebook and such. Old but functional laptops can be had for tens of dollars on Ebay. It is wildly easier and cheaper to get into personal computing now than it was in the 80s, 90s, or even 00s. You can literally afford it by collecting loose change for a little while. A month of half-decent Internet service may well cost more than your entire computer set-up. This has been the consistent trend and it shows no sign of reversing, even after 15 years of iPhoneOS/iOS.
> the next Apple, only without the cruelty and greed.
But why is it necessary? It's not. We can have more if we work together, instead of against each other. The only thing locking phones down does is make everything worse _just_ for Apples sole profit.
Some people only have access to tablets and phones. Let them have the freedom we had to create something. With that freedom, maybe one of them grows up and creates the next Apple, only without the cruelty and greed.
On top of that, it would reduce waste.