technology castes

I have been wondering if the day would come when "normal" computers are just as closed as game consoles and developers would need a sponsor, license, registered "dev kit" and all that just to write a computer app. ...or the computers aren't locked down but if you want to connect to the "safe* internet" you would have to follow the above types of restrictions and develop to the approved list of closed "safe internet" platforms.

(* "safe" meaning DRM, etc. implemented at the hardware level)

We're heading toward two classes of computers: one for people like me, and one for people like my Mom.

[...] Computers, by and large, are still designed for geeks. This is why we all buy T-shirts that say "No, I will not fix your computer". The genius of the iPad is that it cannot get things like viruses. It is a closed platform. You can't put apps on it. You can't write and distribute software for it without Apple's permission. This is why geeks hate it and normal people will love it.
-- Eric Sink

Twitter! Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal! (ignore the title)