If you’re giving this a fast read, be aware that there are some excellent comments–in the I(surprise) comments links for these posts. Steve Portigual, Bill Gannon, Judy Faber, Anne Hunt, Michael Silberman, Rebecca McKinnon.Rob Enderle, Norbert Specker, and others have all added their (quite worthwhile) 2 cents.
(As did the presumably fictional Charles Schulz)