 redefine themselves as players in a game in which the rules have all changed; intense, fierce competition leaps from the shadows, and customers, once meek and malleable, are now hardened, jaundiced, and wary. The freedoms that once prevailed have disappeared: Manufacturers must accept that they can no longer build everything for everybody and must partner with others, including competitors, to suc- ceed-and must even pass on some products if they fail to offer lucrative financial returns. Service providers must redefine the very meaning of their name in a constant struggle to anticipate what customers expect in the way of service-and all that the word implies. And the industry supremacy that so many legacy firms enjoyed for so very long is chang- ing as new companies in often surprising industries rise to the top and begin to catch the eye of the consumer. Welcome to the technology marketplace in the twenty-first century. It doesn't get much more exciting than this, and the sturm und drang is far from over. The companies that make up this remarkable industry seem to be floating on a vast sea of uncertainty at the moment but, like soap bubbles, are being pulled slowly and inexorably toward each other, coa- lescing into new shapes. A year from now this industry will look very dif- ferent, as powerful tectonic forces reshape it. Financial recovery, consolidation, fickle customers, and companies looking to be the first to offer the next new thing will all play parts in this passionate dance of technologies. There are those who believe that the bubble has burst, the market has calmed, and the road to recovery is straight and true. I am reminded, however, of a quote from my friend and colleague Bob Camp, who splashed figurative cold water on the other directors of a board on which we served with this memorable quote. As we prematurely celebrated a business victory that had not yet materialized, he smiled and said, "At the moment of victory, tighten your helmet strap." More to come. Buckle up. Downloaded from Digital E