Microsoft makes it easier to build Minecraft Mods using Visual Studio
This is incredible. Getting Minecraft modding working in Visual Studio is how you are going to get the next generation of kids interested in programming.<p>If you haven't watched a 12 year old play Minecraft, you need to do so. It's the ultimate fantasy universe, and the way you combine elements to make something new is very analogous to programming in the vanilla game.<p>Adding a way to customize this universe will just explode the interest in programming among young people.<p>It's really unfortunate that there is so much time being devoted to "teaching programming" to kids, instead of "teaching playing on computers". "Teaching programming" feels serious and adult, and doesn't leave room for fun.<p>I've had said 12 year old try multiple times to "learn programming", only to give up when things aren't as great as they'd imagined in their head, after having spent hours just trying to figure out the right version of Python, and how to get a shell set up, and how to get something on the screen.<p>Imagine the result of having your for loop create millions of blocks accidentally in your universe, and seeing that mistake happen in a non-threatening way. This is the sort of thing that makes computing and abstract thinking easier for everyone.<p>Giving an open universe to kids with the blocks to effect their world is just an insane tool. Kudos to MS for the hard work, and putting it out so early.