Or it just offloads a function that we used to do without perceptible effort (remembering phone numbers, land navigation)

Or it does give us time, which we then spend on software's other products (social media, sexting apps, Candy Crush, etc..), which are compelling to our brain, but whose betterment of our lives is arguable. (Says hypocrite posting on HN)

The issue for a lot of folks is that there are a bunch of solvable, real world problems, that a traditional meatspace hacker might have tackled, but much like the financial industry, the easy money of software app. startup culture is perceived to be sucking the air out of other forms of hacking.