IT marches toward its tool origins

Everyone is talking Netbooks and the lower price point of average sales. what does it mean, is it because of the economy, is something more interesting happening. Pundits waffle on about how Apple or Sony are doomed because everything is going to be $200. What of Dell and Acer, is ASUS going to squash them all. This all gets those me too analysts wet with 'money for report' glee.

more mind share, less money share

this is good for the IT business, the false economy of IT being all edge is fading and it is truly becoming not just a commodity but woven into our social system, as with hammers and screw drivers.

excellent stuff. how will Apple and to a lesser extent Sony (through diversified income streams) to name two high ticket price providers fare in this inevitable shift?

much the same as Sidchrome, Stanley or Bosch do in the tools market space. Successfully.

does anyone question the business model of Stanley tools, are they harshly compared to junk brand #9, available right next to them at half the price? no.

a worker who uses tools might start out with a cheap no-name or cheap named brand version, but they are coveting that Stanley fatmax tape measure. Business owners swear by the longevity of the De Walt and want it, even though they can spend 1/4 the price. The finish and effectiveness of a Plumb hammer is unquestioned as is its high price tag.

the trolls, flame wars, nOOb brand bickering, and proto-fessionals chest puffing they found the cheapest crap or claiming their ignorance by saying that a hammer is just a hammer is long faded in industries that provide us with a more mature branch of the tools concept.

replacing that is a respect, the 'woah, he is professional, look at the quality of his tools, i look forward to being able to afford those tools'.

as with the tools market, there is room for a spectrum of brands and price points. in that tools based market, the Apples and Sony's will sit above the Dell, ASUS and HP, who will sit above the vanilla boxes and bargain bins.

Professionals, using the 'same' but high end drills and hammers will understand the home handy-person having the bargain bin item and some will look at the kooky trades-person who made their own tool with a raised eye brow and a chuckle of friendly respect at the oddity of the approach. The middle of the road, the Makita of power tools will always catch the eye of the aspiring handy-person; the more shrewd, or the one who's parents knew quality and taught it will rightly understand that the DeWalt, while being a bit over the top will see them through the long haul.

The swarms of IT proto-fessionals pumping out the streams of flames and other naff waffle haven't yet figured out..

That they are babes in the tool shed of a tool based society. Will their howls of child like rage still be heard in 50 years.

i doubt it. the DeWalt's, Makita's and brand-x's will each have their place and the users will have become humble in knowing they are the handy-person or the industry-person.

Posted in response to 'Netbooks and recession drive collapse in PC average selling prices' on ITWire by Peter Dinham