As I write, the IT-heavy NASDAQ staggers sluggishly near 2,500. After a riotous party that saw the index climb to more than 5,000, a stiff hangover is setting in. Its effect winds through the economy, a growing force that is not yet fully reckoned. Many IT employees, their savings plans brimming with company stock, are less wealthy than they were 10 months ago when they splurged on an upscale SUV.

As I write, the IT-heavy NASDAQ staggers sluggishly near 2,500. After a riotous party that saw the index climb to more than 5,000, a stiff hangover is setting in. Its effect winds through the economy, a growing force that is not yet fully reckoned. Many IT employees, their savings plans brimming with company stock, are less wealthy than they were 10 months ago when they splurged on an upscale SUV.

The drawn-out disputes in Florida about the US presidential election have come to a close. Don't worry, this article is not a commentary on US democracy, nor a recommendation for electronic voting. Cutter Consortium Technology Council Fellow Ed Yourdon has already discussed that, asking, "Will election chaos lead to technology-based voting changes? ...

There are now around 200 million online users of the Internet, with an estimated growth of 70,000 new users each day. During the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, IBM claimed that www.olympics.com, which it maintained, received more than 11 billion hits.

There are now around 200 million online users of the Internet, with an estimated growth of 70,000 new users each day. During the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, IBM claimed that www.olympics.com, which it maintained, received more than 11 billion hits.

The Internet has inserted information into the heart of the organization and transformed the role of the CIO, giving that individual an unparalleled opportunity to influence the efficiency, costs, and profitability of the business.

The Internet has inserted information into the heart of the organization and transformed the role of the CIO, giving that individual an unparalleled opportunity to influence the efficiency, costs, and profitability of the business.

One rule of critical thinking, popularized by Ayn Rand, is to be aware of your premises and to check them regularly against reality. Cutter Consortium's ongoing Business-IT Strategies Survey helps us do this in the case of business-IT issues.