What percentage of Americans are computer literate?

Answer 1

The term literate needs some definition first before this question can be answered. Surfing the net or checking and composing an email or playing a game does not constitute net literacy. An organized desktop with information resources of all types would be an indication that someone is net literate as would the ability to download and install software, keep their operating system and application software up to date and "back up". Sadly, very few meet this as a definition, given you accept this as a base definition. Having serviced hundreds of computers, both home users and small business, that percentage is less than 1%. The typical user is A) not aware they have problems until it misbehaves (typically because of no maintenance and / or no protection). Larger companies (with IT departments) are somewhat better but often constrain the end user and most users only use their computer to do what is necessary (ie....learn the basics of the job). Some seniors (with time available) do make good efforts at educating themselves and take advantage of the rich resources of the internet. The younger generation tends to have better skills and to not be "savvy" is somewhat a societal negative. As baseline evidence of literacy most "Geek" inclined users (and that is not a good name) do not subscribe to cable, or movies and many do not own TV's. They instead watch anything they want (and save hundreds of dollars annually) at any time they want that has ever been produced. The Internet, undoubtedly the world's greatest invention, today provides facts, opinions and instructions for doing anything one wants. Few, take advantage of that. One of the negative (my opinion) things occurring are toys...tablets as an one example, social sites as another. One last comment....of the many desktops I have set up, with maintenance laid out left to right, sets of links to the best of the best on the Internet in many categories less than 10% actually do maintenance / keep their software up to date or explore the net. Most people appear to get frustrated (few actually take a tour when they buy a machine or bother to read help files) when any problem occurs. What does that translate to....fail safe toys...for social purposes and a limited set of other activities. Will this behavior change?

Yes, over time but it will require a lot of focus. Peer pressure (among younger users) will drive this more than anything else I expect. The reality is to use a computer and the Internet requires one spend time learning.