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Computers today are not currently
being used to their full potential. The problem is not the
lack of features in software products. It is not just
that users haven't been trained well enough how to use these products.
Rather, problem is that we treat computers as tools we
operate by hand, as automatons that blindly perform simple
tasks.
Computers can do much more than this.
If we try, we can teach computers to "understand" the jobs
we do. With this understanding we can program them
to collaborate
with us. As we go through our work process, intelligent
software systems can observe what we are doing, and provide assistance as you work. Below
I list many ways computers can actively help you, and give a few
examples of program features that do this. The existence of these
features in these programs are a positive step forward, although
these tend to be isolated examples. A truly collaborative system
wouldn't just provide a couple nice features, but would integrate these
capabilities into a system that specifically helps you in what you do.
- alerting
you when something goes wrong
Spellcheck
has become a common tool in editors that instantly tells you about
possible mispellings. Anti-virus and spyware programs are on the
alert for unwanted intrusions into your computer.
- suggesting solutions
Microsoft's troubleshooter tools can be helpful. Sometimes. - diagnosing problems
CAD
systems often deal with faulty data translation through tools that help
you isolate where exactly the data is flawed, so you can work on fixing
the data.
- advising
on possible courses of action
MS Office smart tags appear when an operation has several reasonable alternative results.
- looking
up the information you need to carry out a task
- filling
in missing information
- validating
the correctness of your work
- notifying
others of progress
- automating
related tasks
- collaborative searching
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