It can be complicated for a non-techie to even set up an apache server on their computer. We'd probably have a couple more good programmers in this world just by breaking down that barrier.

I would argue that someone destined to be a good programmer would have the ingenuity and drive to install a freakin' compiler and IDE. It isn't exactly rocket science.

"We'd probably have a couple more good programmers in this world just by breaking down that barrier."

Couple more mediocre/bad programmers.

Everybody starts somewhere.

Some people should never start. It's hard enough to tell the good programmers from the ridiculously bad programmers as it is.

I have mixed feelings about the sentiment, but mostly I feel like making setting up a development environment confusing probably isn't the best way to weed people out. Besides, a recent CS graduate who can't install Eclipse on their own is one thing, but a bright kid with books about programming from the public library that wants to move from QBASIC to C is another thing entirely.

Indeed let me add:

One click web development IDE.

You don't think there are enough idiots who shouldn't be programming using php and javascript?

Hence MAMP

This is an excellent idea! Anything that lowers barriers to accessibility is a good thing.

Horrible horrible idea. If you can't install an IDE(Why are you using an IDE anyway), and compiler, you're probably not going to make a good developer.