Are governors useful?

[conuil]

Once when I was playing Civ 2 I decided to play a game where I would never change production (I would allow the govenors to choose everything). This was for a challenge. What a disaster!

The one's in Civ 3 don't seem any better. "Its the modern age tanks and bombers and all that! What'll I build next? I know, how about an obsolete Iroquios Horsemen!" Thanks for the advice govenor!

 

[zeeter]

It seems that half the people posting here agree that governors are good for keeping the people happy, but NEVER allow them to build anything on their own.
I automate as much as possible in the game. I tell them to maximize happiness, never build wonders, and in fact I keep the pop-up active when completing buildings so that the governor can't build anything at all. He makes suggestions, but I almost always ignore him.
For production I will use the governor depending on what is going on. In the beginning I want growth, during my first war I want production, after the war and when I've maxed out on growth (all size sixes before aqueducts or size twelve before hospitals) I will maximize the economy.
I also automate my workers unless I have a specific project that needs to be completed such as a road to a far off resource.
I cannot imagin how long my games would be if I didn't automate these things.