During the twentieth century, research and development (R&D) has produced a steady stream of inventions and new consumer goods, many of which have been adopted and proven to be the source of a rising standard of living (Boskin et al.). The introduction of new goods, however, creates a disequilibrium (Hausman), which in turn creates a demand by economic agents for objective information to assist in making decisions on adoption and use (Schultz).¹ The consumer's challenge is to sort through the various, competing and sometimes conflicting, sources of information.