Summary

So now you have had a rather broad look at a variety of technologies that can, if we want them to, dramatically change our work lives. Conference calls, which are admittedly low tech, enable a significant percentage of the work force to be more work@home than ever in the past, creating in turn a new demand for increased technology and automation during our nonoffice hours. Proliferation of IM, VOware, and text messaging dominate and now blur our work versus home lives. The reality is that the business tools used in the office (e-mail, messaging, phone, file servers, the Internet, etc.) are exactly the same tools now available in our homes, and with no compromise of service or efficiency. The Inescapable Data point is this: Business and citizen tools are perfectly aligned, and both teams win. Those of us who have crossed the divide hopefully have more freedom than in the past (and hopefully, our employers are receiving additional work from us at the same time). If Inescapable Data (and communications) is not enabling such luxury with freedom, perhaps we need to reconsider its value.