Being a unix weenie, I appreciated this article at wired.com describing a way to configure and use a mac or windows box for maximum efficiency by minimizing the bloat created by MS Office and its ilk. The author points to the GoodEasy environment specifically for MacOS.

Also of note in this article is the author's reference to "The Paradox of the Active User":

In this study of how non-technical people use computers, they observed that people don't read manuals. And once they figure out how to achieve something, they will not change their protocol even if doing things a different way is quicker.

I haven't yet read this study. It's rather lengthy; probably subway reading for another day.