  The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the ways many people use computational
systems. We conducted an empirical study, using qualitative and quantitative
analyses of free-response surveys completed by 62 US residents, to explore how
COVID-19 affected their computer use across work, education, home life, and
social life. Nearly all participants experienced an increase in computer usage
for themselves or a family member in one or more of the four domains. The
increases involved both increasing frequency of existing uses as well as the
adoption of new types of use. Changes in usage impacted many aspects of
people's lives, including relationships, affective experiences, and life
trajectories. Understanding these changes is important to the future of HCI, as
the field adapts to COVID-19 and potential future pandemics.
