Over 25 years ago, for a software development magazines, I wrote an article titled The invisible glass wall. Since that time that wall has become bigger, stronger and harder to get through.
The glass wall is a little bit like the glass ceiling when it comes to job opportunities for women. Except this is a difference between those that have technology-based technical expertise and those that don't
I use the term glass wall because in the early days of computing, corporations that could afford computers, put them in an air conditioned environment that was necessary at the time. But because they wanted to show off the fact that they could afford a computer the room typically had glass walls so those that outside the wall could see the computer inside. Typically those that operated and programmed those computers were inside the glass walls.
Over the years, as computing became less expensive, and there was no need to show off the computer, the wall disappeared and also the need of those that had the technical expertise to program the computers being separate from the uses of computers.
But even though the physical barriers were removed the psychological ones remained.
Programmers and the like often would not provide functionality to end users as it was felt these end users might mess up the systems, programmers had developed.
Typical examples of this in modern operating systems are, the inability of end users to get to all parts of the file system, functionality that used to be available being removed, features being not implemented because they don't want any uses being able to do that.
The default of the Windows operating system file system is to not show file name extensions and not show system files at all.
The Apple iPhone and Android phone operating systems do not allow end users to get to the operating system.
Even though end users have paid to use the operating software, they are not allowed to see it, or use its advanced features.
My observations are that the situation was only got worse In the last 25 years. To a large extent this is because another reason has been added for not giving and uses functionality. That being the maximization of profit by a small number of large software development organizations.
What is technically feasible is simply not provided. Or is so convoluted that it's impossible for the average user to use.
A few examples are:
Tablet computers that have built in SIM cards but no functionality to connect to use the mobile phone network to make phone calls
The software enforced requirement for each communication device to have an account and so pay for use of each device
Video streaming services that only allow viewing via the use of usernames and passwords.
News and information services that restrict usage unless a payment is made
Software being sold as a service for ongoing subscription charges rather than being sold out right
In app purchases requiring payments to provide more functionality
User interfaces restrictions designed to maximize profit rather than provide functionality
Software that has allowed the Gig Economy to circumvent employment regulation
The user becoming the product and so being sold.
Less than 10% of the population have the ability to be a computer programmer.
Only 60% of people have the reading ability to live in modern society. 40% of the population will not be able to read to find out that this is a looming problem.
Physical jobs will be taken over by computer controlled robots and artificial intelligence in the future.
We are told that people should become programs or coders. But based on the above how was it going to happen if 90% ofpeople just simply do not have the aptitude to be computer programmers.
A large proportion of the population will be unemployable
The present economic system will not be able to handle this.