>Tracy, there's a *major* change underway as we speak. It's generally accepted now that many people can perform >80% of daily computing tasks without a PC. The other 20% is getting attention- e.g. look at the Motorola Atrix that can connect to a screen and keyboard when required. In its recent report on the topic, IDC predicted that mobile devices will outsell PCs within 18 months, that the number of downloaded mobile apps will grow to 25 billion this year (yes, 25 billion) and that "the PC-centric era is over" (direct quote). Their view is that cloud services will grow at more than 500% of the rate of the general IT industry in 2011 with businesses moving more and more of their business apps into the cloud after which you don't need NET to access it any more than you need a buggy whip to drive your new Ford Model T. Sure the Ford Model T is not perfect, but it doesn't need to be if people see more value than what they have now.

Are we talking about 80% of daily *work-related* computing tasks or web surfing / email / facebook / twitter ? And who is it that "generally accepts" this?

I think you are including smartphones as "mobile devices" and of course their sales will outstrip that of PCs.

I don' t mean to discredit the seismic shift toward mobile connectivity, but I think you are a playing a little fast and loose with the meaning of embracing of a new technology in terms of the replacement of an established one.