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MR. FIX-I.T.

Soon you won’t need to call an electrician if the TV goes on the fritz. Instead, you’ll call a system administrator.

Text: DON TAPSCOTT

MAY '04

Remember the TV repairmen who disappeared once televisions became solid state? They’re about to come back – only in a new incarnation. It will be their job to help us cope with the growing nightmare called home technology. We’ll call these good folks something catchy like "Internet-home theatre-telephone-smart appliance-media centre-local area network-security-computer system administrators." Or maybe we’ll just call him (or her) "the repairman."

Soon the people who can troubleshoot and solve electronic problems in their own homes will be as rare as the people who can replace their own furnaces. It’s already become too complicated for me. It takes several different professionals to maintain and make changes to my home computer network, phone system, home theatre and security system. Depending on the setup, such networks can be ridiculously complicated, and the prognosis is for more complexity, not less.

Our homes are following the path of corporations. When computers arrived, companies sprinkled them throughout different departments. The accounting department was on one system, the loading dock was on another, sales was on a third and so on. A company had dozens of "islands of computing" that spoke different languages. Back then, it never dawned on the technicians that management would someday want all the computers to talk to each other. And when that day arrived, it was a big headache to make the technology work. Many companies still struggle with the grief of incompatible computer systems.

Indeed, a growing number of companies want to off-load the hassle of running their computer systems altogether. Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Inc., once told me that "a lot of our customers have basically come to us and said, ‘We don’t want to be in the PC business. We don’t want to configure PCs, we don’t want to support PCs, we don’t want to maintain PCs, we don’t want to install PCs, we don’t want to uninstall PCs. You do all this for us. You take on everything.’" Naturally, this makes Dell very happy. As computers become a commodity and the profits get razor thin, he is keen to offer more lucrative services and to establish competitive advantages wherever possible.

The same is going to happen in our homes. We too have islands of computing. It’s hard to imagine why we would want the computer in the upstairs den to talk to the microwave in the kitchen, but that day will come. Soon. And we’ll want the phone system to talk to the furnace. Already many consumers are trying to figure out the best way to connect their personal computer to their home entertainment system so they can listen to their MP3 collections on their good speakers.

There are two large pots of gold up for grabs as we all migrate to the totally integrated digital home. The first goes to the companies that will sell the technology to make this happen. Microsoft’s virtual monopoly of personal computer operating systems has made it wealthy, and it’s keen to extend its existing software hammerlock to any device in the house with a chip. The company’s Xbox gaming system was largely created to give it a foothold in the nation’s living rooms.

But Microsoft will have many competitors, and they’re coming from some surprising places, such as the local gas station. In the U.S., the Shell Oil Company sells Shell HomeGenie, a hardware/software system that lets you control your furnace, air conditioner, lights, appliances and other plugged-in devices from an Internet-equipped computer anywhere in the world. Heading home from a skiing weekend? Log onto the Web from the chalet, and turn up your furnace for a toasty return.

The other pot of gold awaits the companies that will come to our homes to help us keep all our gear up and running. But who are you going to call? Maybe it will be a computer company such as Dell or IBM, a big box retailer such as Best Buy, the local phone company or one of the many audio-video custom home theatre installation companies that have sprung up.

The technology manufacturers assure us that this intricate setup will be easy. In touting the benefits of using Intel chips throughout the house, the chip maker promises "to help people enjoy richer digital experiences, as well as greater simplicity and freedom in their lives." Of course, if history has taught us anything, it’s that our quest for simplicity is never simple. [ ]

ADD YOUR COMMENTS > dtapscott@enroutemag.net

MAY '04