BLIND software development using iPhone with iOS 12.

By Unregistered User (not verified), 9 June, 2019

Forum
App Development and Programming

Hello World! It has been 74 days since I bought my 1st iPhone, the iPhone 6S+, new from an Apple authorized reseller, locally here in the Philippines, and I have begun software development without any assistance from Apple’s accessibility team nor their support staff. I am totally blind, but with the brain of a computer scientist!
For the record, my iPhone 6S+ is running iOS 12.3.1. It is paired & connected to my LogicTech Bluetooth QWERTY keyboard. And I’m using VoiceOver since the 5 minutes before making the purchase with my sighted wife.
As of this writing, my iPhone is now prepped for my self-learning of Swift & VisualBASIC programming languages! Also, I’m now relearning how to program in ANSI C & BASIC without vision.
My original intent for buying the iPhone is to learn the Swift programming language, as a compiler does not exist in the Google Android ecosystem. However, possibly due to my old age of 49, I feel Swift is too hard for me to learn.
After almost a month after downloading the online Swift compiler, I discovered the online C/C++ compiler from the same developer. Prior to my blindness, I have 28 years of C programming! — As of this writing, this developer made a toggle option for auto-indent & auto-bracket, for using Bluetooth keyboard, aiding in rapid writing of code.
Since my blindness is hindering my Computer Science skills, I decided to trick my brain by locating a suitable BASIC interpreter! September 1982 was the month & year I wrote my “Hello World” program in BASIC, on the Commodore VIC-20, display unit at a Seattle-based K-Mart retail department store.
And then, I decided to download the online VisualBASIC compiler from the same developer of the online Swift & C/C++ compilers I already installed. Why VisualBASIC? Because my sighted wife used to know it and I believe I can learn it since I’m using to BASIC, though the keywords are different.
So, I wrote & compiled my 1st “Hello World” programs in Swift 20 days ago, C 13 days ago, and BASIC 5 hours ago, all on my iPhone! Though coding “Hello World” is a simple task, if I was NOT blind, I would be making masterpieces in every programming language I know!
The fact I can write a “Hello World” program without any vision only means, my iPhone has officially rekindled my Computer Science Life!
Prior to writing this post, I wasted my money on an offline C compiler that is NOT compatible with VoiceOver! That is my 1st lemon from the Apple App Store!
When Apple Education’s iTunesU touts the benefits of the Swift programming language, I remember accomplishing similar tasks with C prior to my vision-loss!
Thanks for reading my latest post on the AppleVis website! Have a Great Day!

Marcos

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Comments

By Dave Matters on Friday, July 5, 2019 - 13:33

I have been reading your posts. I was wondering if you would be willing to offer some advice. I used to be in the tech field. I mostly did hardware and software support. I quit 15 years ago to become a stay-at-home dad. I messed around a little with scripting on Windows but not really any true programming. I want to teach myself to program. I have an iPad and an iPhone. I don’t know any good resources to get me started. I believe I have a technical mind, and the patience I can improve upon.

Any suggestions on where I should? Should I start with Swift? Maybe I should start with C? I have a couple of apps in mind that I would like to see created. Any advice? Also did you hear about Swift UI mentioned during the WWDC Keynote? I would be interested in any thoughts or advice you might have.

Thanks,
Dave ...

By peter on Friday, July 5, 2019 - 13:33

Dave,

If you are interested in learning a bit about the Swift programming language and have an iPad, you might consider downloading the free Swift Playgrounds app by Apple from the app store. Unfortunately it doesn't run on iPhones, only 64-bit iPads. The demonstrations I've seen on the web of using it sound very interesting and useable. I only have an iPhone and not an iPad.

If you do try it out, let us know how it works.

--Pete

By JP on Friday, June 5, 2020 - 13:33

Hello,
I have an iPhone6, what App development tools are available for the iPhone6?
Thanks