So as someone working in application of medicines, I'd agree with the comments that say those of us doing these things have learn to make code work, but are not software engineers (and would not claim to be). This means that if you can improve the tools that are used (and don't care about making a return), the leverage would be massive.

I imagine it isn't trivial (otherwise it would have been done by now), but imagine if R was automatically parallel processing; seldom is the code in my field worth figuring out how to make it parallel, but if it was automatically, then a hell of a lot of time would be saved! I know there are two packages that kind of make it work, but so far I've yet to hit a threshold making it worth it (I just leave thigns running overnight).

Abstract from that to projects like Zotero and you can see how you could have an impact on a lot of people by enabling them to do what they do.