As a result of the impressive growth in the power of PC-based computing, the influx of UNIX, and the proliferation of local and wide area networks, many IT shops today find themselves with a blend of hardware platforms and operating systems. As new systems were acquired, it didn't make good business sense to purchase multiple large computing platforms. All too often, these microprojects failed to properly gauge the level of interdependence among many corporate systems. Integration between systems often proves to be the most expensive part of the project. The attitude of central IT has changed as well.
Corporate finance running from a departmental level server, once unheard of, is now commonplace.
My own experience echoes this scenario. When I started my computing career, it involved a single HP 3000, a number of terminals, and a few PCs. On the surface, this mix appears to be a terrible mess of proprietary and nonproprietary systems. But, I see an environment rich in diversity, with a number of tools to be applied to any business problem. No two golf shots are the same, and neither are any two business problems.