About 5-6 years ago, I chose Java when I was in a similar position and writing a game. It's a much easier language (I don't feel like justifying this claim, others have done so) and the final product is easier to share with friends (package your code in a runnable jar when you're done). One other word of advice, I found it simpler to write my own basic engine rather than learn another. If I had my current level of experience, I would definitely start by learning an engine. However, if you don't have a lot of experience coding, it might be easier to write it yourself. For example, you won't need to figure out the documentation for plugging into the game loop because you will have written your own game loop. (1)
There is a bug. If you are traveling right, then quickly press down, release down, then press left, and release left, you will die. This is not snake behavior.
Are you guys interested in teaching kids how to code/make games? Your visual method for scripting looks very similar to scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/). Although I haven't used your program, it seems like it would make a natural stepping stone once kids have done everything they can in scratch.
<CSB> I taught an extracurricular class on game making in scratch to elementary school kids for four years. Every year, there were one or two kids that seemed to have mastered scratch and were being held back by the program's limitations. I wish I had had your program so that I could have given them something more challenging.</CSB>
Do I love the guy, no. But, he is doing something. I've "completed" quite a few side projects (video game, chat server, etc) but I've never got anyone to actually use them. To do all three sides of the coin, technical product development, artistic design, and marketing, earns you respect in my book.
My (heavily biased) recommendation - start with c++ or some other annoying, slow language. I know other people say learn python or ruby, but I think that makes for sloppy programmers and bad habits.
First, read Introduction and Basics of C++ in the link below. Then make a text based rpg with 1-2 rooms. I would have a character and two bosses each with with power, toughness, and 1-2 attacks. Then read Compound Data Types and Object Oriented Programming from the link below. Finally, revise the code of the game to use objects (don't worry, that will make sense once you finish reading). Also, to emphasize your bossness, say that are "refactoring" your code.
As a gamer, I thought it was cool that I could make a simple game like this. Maybe you won't. In which case, my suggestion probably is worthless. But, I think that learning a more systems level language will force you to think more about your code and make you write better code in the long run.
I disagree with your idea of running native code on the client as a replacement for the web in the context of laptops and desktops. The app store works because apple curates it. In the Android marketplace, many applications are viruses (http://www.androidguys.com/2012/12/14/lookout-18-million-inf...). If more than 9-10% of laptops and desktops had access to the app store, I would imagine that malware would be a more significant problem. Therefore, while I agree with the rest of your complaints, I disagree with the idea of making the web run using native code. I think that an interpreted environment will become good enough to do everything a user wants as computers get faster. In fact, if we can assume the standard user watches Youtube videos and sends and receives images and text through Facebook/Instagram/..., then interpreted code is fast enough today. On the web, where the user must constantly accept and run code from unknown and untrusted developers, code must run in a sandbox to minimize risk of unwanted access to the user's computer.
Side Note: I also just really, really hate app stores. I find them to be much more restrictive than just throwing a website up and allowing anyone to access it. The idea of having to pay someone to allow users to be able to use my stuff is way too restrictive to me.
I guess the change in the law is significant. However, I thought that shop owners would assume that any large item would be paid for with a credit card and raise the price accordingly. I don't have any evidence for this, but, is it likely that the only effect of this ruling will be on items that are usually paid for with cash, ie those under $25 (or whatever reasonable number of dollars)
Even if Bill Gates isn't doing the best job, every time I see one of these articles, it appears that there isn't any advice on better ways to grade teachers. Did I miss that in the article? Are there a lot of other people in the field that are doing better work? (I would really like to read if anyone can provide links to papers to other ways of analyzing teachers)
1. http://gameprogrammingpatterns.com/game-loop.html