The other day I received an email from the university where I teach marketing and advertising. The school told me that I could receive the latest version of Microsoft Office for my computer.  All I had to do was stop by the IT office to pick it up.

Walking into the IT office, I saw computers….servers….monitors….basically lights flashing and glowing on groups of black plastic boxes that were stacked floor to ceiling.

While waiting for the software I looked around in and thought to myself, “Now these guys know computers and technology.” Yes, I was impressed.

It was like looking inside a body and watching the heart pump, blood flow and intestines push things along to their final destination. Scanning the various devices one of them caught my attention. It was silver, 10 inches wide, 8 inches deep and 10 inches high. It didn’t have any blinking lights or bulbs but it did have a couple of dials and a glass window that was murky and hard to see inside. I thought to myself that this must be a new form of computer since there was only the one sitting there right next to the desk of the IT boss.

“Wonder what that does?”, I asked myself. “It must have a special role since it seems to be so prominently displayed.”

When the IT boss returned with my software I asked him, “So what does that computer do?  I’ve never seen one like it before.”

He looked where I was pointing and then gave me that smile that technology people save for non-technology people.

He said, “That?  That’s our toaster oven.”

True story.