This document discusses making bioinformatics tools more accessible to non-experts. It describes developing easy-to-use tools and distributing them online through platforms like GenePattern. GenePattern provides a simple interface for analyzing genomic data using tools from R, Java and other languages without requiring local computing resources. The author has used GenePattern successfully in teaching and workshops. Developing GenePattern modules for analyzing second generation sequencing data could further increase accessibility. A community effort involving researchers and end users is needed to develop useful tools and facilitate their uptake.