I agree entirely that seeing and experiencing are different, but seeing it is more than being blissfully unaware, and can be enough to provide motivation.

And I've worked with many youngsters who have significant amounts of empathy. They feel the pain almost as if it's their own.

>> definitely matters as to how old they are, and how much they've done.

> No, it doesn't. Either the tool is good/useful or it isn't.

So if a developer with decades of experience in writing software would receive exactly the same feedback from you as a 16-year-old writing their first project?

If not, if you would tailor your feedback, then it does matter how old they are.