noncomputing

Noncomputing is a broad term used to describe activities, approaches, or environments that do not involve computer computation or digital technology. It can denote deliberate avoidance of computing tools, or domains where computation is not central to the task at hand.

In everyday life, noncomputing can refer to preferences that emphasize privacy, simplicity, or minimal reliance on devices. Examples include using analog tools (paper and pencil, mechanical calculators) rather than digital equivalents, or choosing policies and lifestyles that limit screen time and data sharing. In crafts, education, and some industries, noncomputing approaches rely on hands-on methods, traditional workflows, or offline recordkeeping.

In organizational and policy contexts, noncomputing may describe systems that operate on offline or insecurely networked environments, or sectors that retain paper-based processes for resilience, compliance, or cost reasons. It can also reflect a strategic stance toward digital exclusion or a measured balance between automation and human judgment.

Noncomputing should not be confused with noncomputability. Noncomputability is a formal concept in computer science and mathematics referring to problems that cannot be solved by any algorithm. Noncomputing, by contrast, is a descriptive or normative notion about practices, technologies, and infrastructures rather than a mathematical property.

Historically, noncomputing existed before modern computers and persists in areas where computation is impractical, unnecessary, or undesirable. In a highly digital age, complete noncomputing is uncommon, but the concept helps frame discussions about privacy, accessibility, sustainability, and the design of systems that respect non-digital practices.

See also: computing, noncomputable, digital divide, analog computing, privacy.