@bsmall2 @gnutelephony @doctormo 99.99% of software today offers no gradual progression from basic use with defaults via advanced programmatic use to application contributions.
Emacs and spreadsheets are fighting for first place but have different gaps. Spreadsheets have millions of "non-programmers" programming but no gradual path to core maintenance. Emacs has an earlier threshold to elisp but a pretty good path from elisp through plugins to core (I think?).