Nardi, Bonnie A. A small matter of programming: Perpectives on end user computing. MIT Press, 1993.

This is a wonderful book, one of those little volumes that makes you think, imagine, and argue all at the same time. Computers are being used, but by whom? Does anyone really have any idea what folks are really doing with computers? If programmers are the only ones who think they know what end users want, why arw computers so undertuilized? Over and over, you'll find youself turning Nardi's queries in your imagination and asking new questions about humans and machines. The core of Nardi's work is its anthropological approach to computing, observing and studying the "natives" (or end users) as they use spereadsheets and CAD programs. The answers from this ethnographic study are surprising. Computing is successful when the right tools--tools that make software and computers work right for everyday tasks--are in the hands of end users rather than programmers.

All computing power to the people not to the high priests or the geeks. Hurrah for Nardi and read this book!

Library Journal, New York, 1994.