Gates wet dream - I dunno, some things are going that way in a manor
of speaking.
It seems as though the convergence of various technologies (TV,
Phone, Computers, Security systems, home automation systems, etc.)
is making it more like a probability than not. Even Linux and
that "Way of computing life" is running a parallel line (Free for
everyone who wants it).
Since the exploitation of the internet into the consumer realm, the
home computer has become much less of a "Computer" much more of
a "Communicator" for many people. I would wager a guess that there
are probably as many people using computers now for just internet
and email than for all other functions.
Frankly, I am sick of all the upgrades of software I have to keep
buying to run my business. I would much prefer to sit at
this "Terminal" and use the applications via on-line through the
internet. I don't have to upgrade the software or pay for it. It
would bring the power of any application to any user - I am sure you
would have to pay for it one way or another.
So for me, who is surrounded by computers and has too many here now,
I would like to see them morph back into a terminal that allows me
to use any software out there without having to buy it and then
continue to pay for it through upgrades that do nothing more than
complicate it to point of being useless.
I think the trend is going to go in that direction more and more
over the comming decades.
Anyway, I don't think I will ever attempt to make a computer out of
discretes or even relays - I just don't have enough room or money
;-)
Chris
--- In Electronics_101@..., "Roy J. Tellason"
<rtellason@...> wrote:
On Friday 06 October 2006 02:06 am, Dave Mucha wrote:
Yes, that's why people thought the total number of computers
used in
the world would be under ten.
At one time it looked like the Internet was going to make that a
reality.
With leased software on the server and the home terminal
connected to
your TV.
Of course that would only be a very specific type of computer.
That sounds like gates' wet dream, or something. And it seems to
me that
there's a whole lot of folks that are not going to be inclined to
buy into
such nonsense.
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that
can
be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet
Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by
lies. --James
M Dakin
