1.3. Examples of Automation

It's time to leave the dry discussion of history to the past (no pun intended). Let's talk about something more relevant to what you're trying to do right now. You might be wondering what you can automate, and a good way to go about that exercise is to look at the list of tasks, processes, and systems that others have been able to automate successfully.

Of course, this entire section will be circumscribed by a simple filter: I'm not here to talk about automation of car factories, as I assume you don't have one of those handy. Instead, I'll focus your attention on how computer-based tasks have been automated by people and small businesses. The discussion will be largely limited to AppleScript and Automator, but keep in mind that any tool or system (for example, shell and Perl scripts, proprietary vendor tools, and others) that has simplified a process or system can also apply.