In part, this problem is also rooted in malleable nature of computer software. No self-respecting civil engineer would design a bridge by slapping girders together until he has something that works; after all, if bridge collapses, it could take months to rebuild it. Similarly, no sensible architect would want to build a house without blueprints and floor plans. Yet it is commonplace for programmers to develop software using poorly chosen functions and only sketchiest of designs. After all, if software doesn’t work, they can always find bug and fix it—at least, in theory. In practice, these bugs are often difficult to detect, and fixing them can require extensive surgery. The consequences of an ill-designed software program can be disastrous indeed.

For this reason, I believe that high-tech companies need to give software engineering respect that it deserves. They need to develop a true culture of systematic software design, instead of merely settling for “whatever works.” A company that’s looking toward future must pay proper devotion to principles of software maintainability, proper documentation and elegant, robust design. It must also inculcate a culture of true software engineering among its employees. The failure to do so may work in short-term, but it is a recipe for long-term disaster.

(V) Value: In seventies aforementioned IBM 5100 would have set you back a staggering 20,000 dollars. Today a top of range IBM Thinkpad can be bought for around 3000 dollars. Cheaper Thinkpads can often be obtained for well under a thousand dollars, especially if you don't mind purchasing a used or refurbished model.

(P) Performance: Many laptops today come fitted with Centrino processors which offer superb performance and improved battery life. What is Centrino I hear you ask? Well this is Intel's name for their new notebook technology that combines their Pentium M processor, 855 chipset and Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 WiFi 802.11 network interface. Laptops fitted with these processors are usually lighter because of smaller components used.

Couple this attractive feature with wireless networking technology and you have a powerful technological package. Wi-Fi is short for "Wireless Fidelity" and it's usage is growing quickly amongst home users, office workers, even coffee shops. If you enter Wi-Fi areas with a properly equipped notebook, you can access Internet at broadband speeds.