The Evolution of Automatic Dishwasher Detergent

As I glance at a plastic gelpac filled with...well, gel, I have to think about our automatic dishwashing detergent roots. I'm reminded of powder detergent measured evenly by a plastic scoop. I think to the wonders of liquid detergent that handily poured from the bottle. Now I hold in my hand a self-contained dish soap that requires no pouring, no measuring, and no scooping. I'm skeptical that, with no effort on my part, this little gelpac will make my dishes clean and sparkly. Yet I throw it in anyway feeling like my pioneer ancestors who traded in their washboards for Kenmores.