Mossberg on centralized IT

The Chronicle of Higher Ed reports that the Wall St. Journal's technology columnist Walter Mossberg had this to say about centralized IT departments:

...he began his speech by calling the information-technology departments of large organizations, including colleges, "the most regressive and poisonous force in technology today."

They make decisions based on keeping technology centralized, he said. Although lesser-known software may be better, he said, technology departments are likely to use big-name products for their own convenience. That may keep costs down for an organization, he said. But it puts consistency above customization, preventing individuals from exploring what technology products are best suited to their own needs.

And change is coming, he said, whether IT departments can keep up or not.

This was part of a speech that also emphasized the declining importance of the personal computer.