Better Pies Through Technology

February 11, 2011

Technology has entrenched itself in so many aspects of our lives that it’s almost impossible to get by without it. Here’s something to ponder: what’s the last building you set foot in that didn’t have a computer somewhere in it?

The problem with technology is that it’s such a vast, deep, and murky field that very few people want to venture out of the shallow end of the pool. A lot of people don’t even realize that there are probably about half a dozen things hidden in the deep end that could make their life dramatically better, and who can blame them? The deep end is filled with thousands upon thousands of other things that don’t apply to them, and visibility is near zero. Very few people have the time or inclination to even bother.

So what happens is this: People know that computers are good at certain things, like spreadsheets and email. What most people don’t know is how much better Dropbox would be for them than the flash drive on their keychain, or that there are super simple ways to print things directly to a PDF.

Sure, there are tons of tips and tricks sites, places to go for tutorials, and so on, but there are only two types of people who visit them: geeks and people who know what they’re looking for. A lot of people don’t even know that there’s something to find.

So what’s the answer to this problem? People who are passionate about technology itself need to get together with people who are passionate about other things.

If Ned the pie maker is doing his pie shop accounting in a spreadsheet he’s probably not going to bother learning how to set up complex formulas and calculations. Why? He’s too busy making pies! What he’s got works, even though he has to spend nine hours a week with it and it gives him a headache.

Enter Chuck, who comes in, gets a basic understanding of what he’s trying to accomplish, and then sets Ned up with an optimized spreadsheet that will allow Ned to spend less time moving numbers around and more time making tastier pies.

To me it seems like there are a ton of Neds out there and not enough Chucks. On top of that, most of the commercial attempts to address this kind of thing are laughably bad.

So, please, if you’re passionate about technology, try to show someone who isn’t a thing or two that will make their life a little better. In the end it means better pies for everyone.