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We all program computers. If you ever used a spreadsheet and wrote some formulas, or set up an alarm on your cell phone, you were in fact programming a computer to do your bidding.

Alan Perlis in the Foreword to the famous book "Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs" claims that "Educators, generals, dieticians, psychologists, and parents pgoram. Armies, students, and some societies are programmed."

Some people say everyone should learn coding, and a lot of people seem to believe that a career in software engineering is a ticket into the upper middle class or beyond. That's not something I personally support.

Nonetheless, computer literacy nowadays is increasingly a matter of accessibility. From screening our CVs when applying to jobs, to handling medical appointments, and a whole lot more of our personal lives are mediated by computers now.

And merely knowing how to use a browser or an app effectively no longer cuts it as the definition of "computer literacy". People should be empowered to reason about these computer systems, the inherent risks and benefits in their ubiquity and how to make informed decisions in this context.

Programming computers need not be the ability to create fully fledged applications. There are a lot of interesting software out there that automates the hard parts and allow us to use code to make our lives easier.

I am intent on rising computer literacy levels. Everyone should be able to reason about what their computers are doing, to troubleshoot any issues and to improve the systems around them.