There was a time when programmable calculators were the big technological novelty. Newsstand technology magazines featured short programs that could be typed into these calculators. The HP-12C financial calculator was a bestseller, and Hewlett Packard and Texas Instruments enjoyed a nearly unbeatable dominance. Small companies that also sold calculators were virtually unable to compete with these large corporations. But then came smartphones. Today, the HP-12C calculator is software, an app sold in the App Store and Google Play Store. And it's not a best-selling app, as other apps are at the top of the rankings. Some of these apps were created by independent developers, small startups just a few years old. They didn't even exist when HP and Texas Instruments dominated the market. This scenario, thanks to software, was unimaginable until the last century. Several other markets are feeling the same impact of software. The 20th century was dominated by Hollywood, and films made by major studios always attracted more attention. Today, thanks to streaming platforms, films with million-dollar budgets compete in the entertainment market with small, independent productions. In the catalog of Netflix, the largest of the platforms, blockbusters from major studios sit alongside films and shorts produced by indie film-makers. Some are created in underdeveloped countries with low-quality equipment, sometimes with a cell phone camera. They are typically edited on personal computers with open-source software, but subscribing to an editing platform like Adobe Premiere Pro is now much more affordable. YouTube currently has more household viewership than any TV channel that's been on the air for decades. Some influencers on this platform earn more in a year, recording at home with their cell phones, than programs broadcast on major networks. TV also faces competition from other social networks, notably Instagram and TikTok. Thousands of small businesses use these networks as their primary communication channel with their customers. This is the reality in many countries, rich and poor alike: a significant portion of the economy is consolidated on software platforms. I'm quite optimistic about the evolution of humanity, and I don't share the common notion in science fiction films that large corporations will have immense power in the future, far greater than governments. Every year, technology increases the power of entrepreneurs and startups around the world. And now, with artificial intelligence, small businesses will be able to explore new markets and become even more competitive against large corporations. We're in the midst of a new Industrial Revolution, but now "power looms" are within reach of anyone who knows how to code. Hi, my name is Raul Bras, a software engineer from 🇧🇷 Brazil, and I'm developing a new programming language called 🔰 NeoBASIC. In this series of articles, I'll present the reasons and purposes of the new language, and my (very personal) opinion on the current state of the software industry. If you're interested in learning more, the project is on GitHub. I've also created a community on GitHub Discussions. Hi, my name is Raul Bras, a software engineer from 🇧🇷 Brazil, and I'm developing a new programming language called 🔰 NeoBASIC. In this series of articles, I'll present the reasons and purposes of the new language, and my (very personal) opinion on the current state of the software industry. If you're interested in learning more, the project is on GitHub. I've also created a community on GitHub Discussions. 🔰 NeoBASIC GitHub GitHub Discussions

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