The case for end-user programming of ubiquitous computing environments

Abstract

Gone are the days that computers will be used by select users sitting at a desk with a mouse and keyboard. The next wave of computing, ubiquitous computing, is upon us. With smart phones, tablet computers, and embedded sensors/actuators flourishing, users are already interacting with dozens of computers per day. A large body of research has addressed many issues in hardware and software for the future, but few have focused on the users. We posit that the reason ubiquitous computing environments are still largely unrealized is because research is technology-centric, with inadequate focus on users. To bridge this gap between what technology can provide and what users need and want from ubiquitous computing, we motivate the need for end-user programming in ubiquitous computing environments and provide a vision for enabling end-user programming. We believe that the software engineering community must provide end-user programming capabilities in ubiquitous computing environments if this domain is to reach its full potential.