Innovation moves at a snail's pace in the computer industry. The handful of major improvements during my 22 years using pc's is balanced by the wonderful hardware and software that did not succeed and is no longer available.

I'm sure you've noticed that the quantum jumps in processing power have not translated into noticeable improvements in the everyday ways we use our machines. For example, my 68 mHz Mac SE30 running Quark 3.3 still provides journeyman desktop publishing services for my and several friend's small businesses. In fact, its output surpasses anything I've seen from a WinTel machine yet.

Yet, we do recognize good stuff when we see it ... it's the legendary "wow" factor. And, believe it or not, that "wow" sometimes is information we ourselves offer.

One of the great rides at Universal's theme park in Orlando is E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial. When first getting in line, you're asked for your first name, which is encoded onto a plastic card that is given to you. After a very entertaining wait in line (in a pseudo-forest at twilight), you step on your ride vehicle and give the attendant your card. The less-than-ten-minute ride ends with you passing a life-sized E.T. who says goodbye to you personally ... using your name!

Of course, you've forgotten that you gave your first name at the ride entrance and carried the card to the ride start. But the look on the face of a child (of any age) when E.T. says goodbye to him or her is a "wow" of a high order ... not to mention that the enabling technology is 20 years old!

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