Today, most of the "new workforce" has grown up with computers, TiVo(tm), social networking, instant messaging, blogging, texting, Twitter, and the Internet. In most cases, these people are tech-savvy and they have an understanding of newer technologies. They all carry a cell phone and use it as a main point-of-contact. They have, and will, leverage new technology just to see "what it does."

When new workers join the workforce, they expect a similar computing experience. If the "Echo-Boomers" have a company computer, they expect it to behave and be comparable to the laptop they use for personal computing needs. They expect a choice of computers based on merit, aesthetics,and function, but do not see the reason for standard issue laptops that are not as advanced as the personal computer they use at home. They want a small selection to choose from and want to customize it to make it "their own."

IT, on the other hand, looks at the standardization of equipment as a "must have" to support the hardware. What if IT did not have to support the hardware and just the digital assets? What if the user took care of the hardware?

There is a "middle-ground" in this battle between IT and "new generation." It is called Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC). Citrix has been in the news over the last year with this concept and I have received many emails asking me to explain this "new school of thought." In this series of blog posts I will demystify the BYOC paradigm and show you how users can have a choice of computers and devices whilst IT retains control over digital assets that are paramount to company success. Stay tuned...