Despite what you've heard in countless speeches and articles, it turns out that the Chinese symbol for "crisis" is not translated as the combination of "danger" and "opportunity."

But it's such a good point that we'll just go with it anyway.

The dangers of the bum economy are clear. The opportunities lie in stuff like this, which argues that a new era of low-cost computing is upon us.

Netbooks and specialized gear would be here no matter what. But the economic crunch puts a premium on cost control that makes the new tech all the more attractive. That should spur smart IT departments to action.

Yes, there's some risk involved. But fortune favors the bold, and smart CIOs will be bold during the downturn.