You hear a lot of people saying that information technology has been a “game changer”. How it has revolutionised the way we do things. Business, education, and indeed society have been transformed. What I’ve noticed is that most people don’t go much further than that.

I’m always interested in people who articulate the revolution in a bit more detail. The cluetrain manifesto talks about technology meeting a human need for conversations. That’s interesting. Its interesting because it says technology didn’t change the way we like to do things. Instead, technology has just enabled us to do what we always liked.

I was also interested to see this articleabout an internet manifesto put together by 15 German journalists and bloggers. In particular I was interested in their point 16 – “Quality remains the most important quality”. Its interesting to think about a world where technology levels the playing field. Then the only thing that differentiates people (or businesses) is being good at what they’re doing.

Anybody can publish content to the web. You don’t have to have a massive printing facility or distribution network to have a massive audience. The writers of the internet manifesto contend that good journalism will rise to the top because its good journalism. People will read your news site because its intelligent and well written - not because you are the only company with the resources to produce it.

Or how about another example. Garage Band allows anybody to create music. In theory I could compose the next number one hit with an iMac, Garage Band, and a few beers (to create that rock star atmosphere). But really, all Garage Band does is lower the cost threshold to create music. I wouldn’t need a drum set, or a Marshall amp – but I’d still need a clue. I won’t create a number one hit with Garage Band because I don’t know anything about music.

This really is the promise of the digital age. That the traditional structures of society and business that have controlled who will (and who won’t) be successful will be removed. Anybody can have a voice, or a number one hit. Of course, that assumes ubiquitous access to technology.