Yeah I was born in the early 80s, so when I was a teenager, too late for these magazines (all PC magazines were already as you said) and too early for the internet (there was a nascent internet but without much resources available online). Probably the main reason I picked up programming late.
I think the solution should come from school. Kids should learn basic coding like they learn basic math and physics. Then it's up to them whether they want to go further but that will give them the basics to be more than a passive user with these machines and will give them a chance to dive into it if they like it. It's often the most basic concepts that's are the biggest barrier to entry.
For this generation in the UK we were lucky in that the BBC Micro computers from the BBC Computer Literacy Project[1] were still physically in our primary school classrooms (early 90s). I have a very memorable young memory of programming LOGO on a physical turtle to get it to navigate a maze in the school hall, and an even earlier memory (perhaps aged 5) of playing Granny's Garden[2].
There were also a lot of the 8-bit micros cheap 2nd hand in the 90s, all of which booted to a BASIC command prompt. For me, I was also very lucky and stumbled across a set of INPUT [3] magazines at a school Fete.
At secondary school, we had PCs, whose programming languages were locked down to stop us playing games on them.
I totally agree with your central point. These small interventions at a very early age through school initiated a curiosity, and totally changed internalisation of future concepts in Maths and Physics.
The generation after me lost out, as the primary schools had got rid of the 'obsolete' BBC Micros, and programming lessons were replaced with 'workplace-orientated' IT tasks (spreadsheets, letter writing).
Wow.....I'd forgotten about INPUT magazine. I was ~17 at the time it was published and had every copy, along with BYTE, PC World (the UK one), Your Computer and a whole heap of other regular monthlys. What a blast from the past.
I actually got to play with Turtle in France. But these machines were already antiquated at that time, and I didn't think it was that useful.
I agree with you, computer literacy doesn't start with coding. It starts with typing, understanding basic internet protocols and software (text editor, spreadsheets, slides) and then a little bit of coding. Just enough to be useful, to be able to automate basic tasks. It's important that it is very practical, first to be useful, but also to catch their interest. Like creating a website.
I think the solution should come from school. Kids should learn basic coding like they learn basic math and physics. Then it's up to them whether they want to go further but that will give them the basics to be more than a passive user with these machines and will give them a chance to dive into it if they like it. It's often the most basic concepts that's are the biggest barrier to entry.