The vast majority of adults, like, all of them for pretty much any practical purpose, gets stuff done on computers outside of a shell using GUI programs exclusively. Outside of dev, ops, research etc. bubbles, bash might as well not exist at all. GUI apps are also a much more recent and, yes, modern evolution of human-computer interfaces, so modernizing doesn't sound wrong to me – we keep the terminal as a UI paradigm because it works very well for a certain class of interfacing needs, but it is low-tech and ancient and very limited when dealing with anything that isn't exclusively unicode text. Targeted UI modernization of select terminal programs by lifting them to the UI paradigm the industry has moved to decades ago doesn't feel backwards to me at all if it makes bits of shell technology available to everyone else without the steep and brutal learning curve of getting used to working in a shell.

Besides, isn't programming with syntax highlighting pretty much ubiquitous? Since, at this point in history, all programming I'm aware of boils down to a relatively practical application of maths, I'd argue colored blocks have already pretty much supplanted pencil and paper as the interface adults use to get stuff done.

> This is such a backwards way of thinking. Like modernizing math by using little colored blocks with symbols written on them, because your tired of using boring old white and black pencil and paper...

I remember having to use TI-83 for school. Back then, some people taught the same about the calculator.

Also, sounds like you'd oppose syntax highlighting. I like making e.g. my PS1 colorful. The problem is when other's force their color scheme upon you, like mIRC colors, or website themes (!!).

> "Like modernizing math by using little colored blocks with symbols written on them, because your tired of using boring old white and black pencil and paper..."

Most developers like color-coded syntax highlighting in their IDEs and editors though?

There is a value in making things enjoyable/a bit fun to use. I would prefer my real analysis textbook to have color block. I don't understand the concept that adults need to use product that is boring.

Agreed. Colourful math symbols sounds like a great idea.