Why Johnny can´t build [portable scientific software]

The title of this article refers to Rudolph Flesch\´s famous 1955 book, "Why Johnny Can\´t Read", which called attention to a nationwide decline in reading ability. Here, the author wants to talk about another situation in which an important ability is lacking: the ability to create significant, portable scientific software. The author discusses some of the reasons this problem exists and suggests some approaches to solving it that seem promising.