Earlier this year, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the results of a survey that indicates more than 20 percent of US households had a cell phone and NO land line. This is notable because the number of homes that had a land line but NO cell phone was only 17 percent, making this the first time that the cell phone only homes outnumbered the land line only ones. The rate is accelerating too. In the first half of 2003, the same survey found only 3 percent of cell-only homes and 43 percent of land line only ones.

More interesting is that 15 percent of the homes have both cell phones and land lines but don't make or receive calls on the land line! This is reminiscent of some conversations I have with my Indianapolis small business computer support customers about old technology in their offices. It seems we become attached to things that we used to use all the time. So much attached that we don't even realize that we're paying for something that we don't need and won't use. We justify it by considering how small the payment is.

I'm not a keeper or collector of things (except for the coffee cups that drive my wife batty). When something has no ongoing use for me, I'm quick to get rid of it. Realizing that about myself cause me to speak gently with my computer outsourcing clients about throwing out old information technology equipment that has little chance of providing any future service. Yet, telling them that it's time to let go is a part of my job as their IT support company.

So, if you can't remember the last time your home phone rang other than pollsters and solicitors, perhaps in addition to getting rid of that monthly bill at home, you should ask your computer systems consultants to give you a list of "things that should be gone."