Peter Cochrane, former CTO and Head of Research at British Telecom, writes: " It looks as though the clock could be ticking for corporate IT and security departments in the same way typing pools bit the dust over 20 years ago. The tyranny of the typing pool ended with the computer terminal and the PC. The tyranny of IT departments looks to be coming to an end through a combination of smarter users, better software and outsourcing. No longer will your company's IT staff dictate which laptop and PDA you can purchase, which applications you can use, and which networks you can access. You, the end user, will get to call the shots, to choose the tools that best allow you to do your job most efficiently." 

His vision sounds a bit difficult to sell up the corporate ladder at this juncture. Getting an IT department or service bureau to buy and support laptops or PDAs from multiple vendors of your choosing doesn't happen today. Perhaps when all this gear works together seamlessly, but I am skeptical that day will come anytime soon.