[By Dave Gale] Two years ago I participated in a “CIO Christmas wishlist” for a local industry publication. Re-reading that list, it is sobering to see just how many of those wishes still stand. Here’s my 2009 list. I’m not holding my breath, though my tongue remains firmly in my cheek.

First, I’d like an affordable, really broad — at least 10Mbit/s — band to my home office to make my telecommuting less frustrating. Either that, or a punchbag to use while I wait for the Mac’s psychedelic beach-ball hour-glass replacement to stop tooling around.

Then I’d like so-called “cloud computing” to stop being a haze and to get on with delivering the promised services without thunder and lightning and general fanfare. If I see yet another death-by-PowerPoint on this topic, I’ll start throwing things.

Oh, and then I want a Google Wave account for each of the people with whom I collaborate so I can reduce the noise in my in-box. Of course, I’d need some sort of administrative control over who can edit what on the wave.

I also want an empty in-box. Just once. Okay, okay, maybe that’s asking a bit much, even during the silly season. Inbox Zero indeed — bah humbug!

I’d like to see a systems development industry that stops chasing new technologies and remembers that the technology is only a means to serve up information in the form of business insights and bottom-line value.

I’d also like to see corporate executives start to demand more efficiency and effectiveness of systems development teams and contractors. Too many hours are spent on activities that do little to the balance sheet, now or later.

Then, can someone give me at least one keen, innovative business analyst with an 18-year-old’s energy, a 60-year-old’s wisdom and good SQL skills. Oh yes, they need an insatiable desire to deliver value overnight.

And while I’m at it, expecting the impossible, how about Apple Mail.app and Numbers programs actually working like Microsoft’s Outlook and Excel? I love my Mac, but have to confess I miss a decent e-mail client and the power of pivot tables.

Lastly, I still want that remote office on North Island, Seychelles with a swimwear model for an assistant. My wife seems averse to that for some inexplicable reason.

Instead of all this, I strongly suspect I’ll get a whole bunch of new challenges. I know we’ll all be back in the new year, making magic out of ones and zeroes.

Here’s wishing you all a recreative festive season and a 2010 that shows more than just green shoots and football frenzy.