I think we have a long way to go, both in the creation of tools that are usable by the average person with minimal training, and in the ability of users to recognise opertunities to utilise the ability of computers to make their lives easier.

I remember reading an article about ten years ago that described how computers were making work places less efficient instead of more. I don't think things have improved at all, in fact I believe in some areas things have actually got worse. In my workplace we now have about 5 times as many desktop computers as we did ten years ago, however we have actually reduced the amount of basic computer instruction available. The thinking is that people are now more aware of computers... This may be true, but ten years ago, the people using computers were the ones who were interested in computers and they had some idea how to effectively apply the machines power. Now days everybody is forced to use computers for all tasks, and most of them have no idea what a computer can do apart from send an email, browse the web and print out a pretty document.

I cringe as I go around the office at how little people are applying the power that is sitting on their desks. People use spreadsheets to manage budgets, but most of those spreadsheets will only use the most fundimental of formulas, and mentions of vlookup bring shaking heads and glazed eyes.

Staff listings are created in Visio org charts... only to be followed by much gazing at the chart when the HR staff have to work out when contracts are due to be renewed.

Those few staff who have some understanding of how to create macros in office are seen as alien tech gods, but no attempt is maid by those not in the know to emulate their knowledge... Maybe they fear that if they learn something new, they will be expected to be more effecient.

It is all very well to say, teach kids programming, but untill we decide that work done is measured by how much is produced, rather than how long you spend in the office I don't think we are going to get people to apply that knowledge.

So lets not call for everybody to learn to programme, lets encourage people to find the most efficient way to do things by defining how much work has to be done, and giving them encouragement to get out of the office when that work is done.