The legendary Gordian Knot fixed an oxcart to a pole. Legend decreed that whoever untangled the perplexing rope-puzzle would rule all of Asia. In 333 BC, Alexander the Great pondered the hellish knot. He drew his sword and sliced through it. Then he went on to rule all of Asia. In 2004, utility computing (UC) is a dense tangle of promises with a few vital strands of functionality. Although progress is being made, Asia still awaits its Alexander. No one's poised with sharpened steel ready to slice through the tangle and release the true potential of UC. Pinning down a definition of utility computing can be like tying a knot in a snake; just when you think you've done it, the critter slithers away.
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