Concerning the Much-Talked-About Network Computer ----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**---- Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Path: utkcs2!stc06.ctd.ornl.gov!news.he.net!newsfeed.nacamar.de !news-xfer.cybernet.dk!news.maxwell.syr.edu!news-peer.sprintlink.net !news.sprintlink.net!sprint!howland.erols.net!spring.edu.tw !feeder.seed.net.tw!reader.seed.net.tw!news Organization: SEEDNET InterNetNews News System Message-ID: <33550FA4.11F5@ksts.seed.net.tw> NNTP-Posting-Host: 139.175.26.4 Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 10:43:00 -0700 From: "Arthur N. Borg" Subject: Web PC? Hello, The news is filled with facts and fancy about a thing called "The Web PC". As I understand it this is a PC with no local HD or other permanent storage. The programs will all download from a central server which will have all the applications and will provide them as required. The output will then be downloaded to the central server. Fifteen or more years ago, one of our customers was "Datapoint". You may remember that Datapoint was the company that asked Intel to design the 8008 for their use in a VDT. Datapoint had a proprietary system that used a central computer and each worker who needed to use the computer had a terminal or work station at his/her desk and if they wanted to do word processing, they downloaded the word processor, typed the document and then sent it to the department printer for printing. The word processor was then dumped and whatever new program was needed was downloaded. Except for the fact that this was all done in monochrome on text based terminals, how is this different from the "Web PC"? We read a lot of nonsense about "if the company tries to take away my PC (which I play games on when the boss is elsewhere) I will not let them." My description of such a person is "unemployed". I have had no contact with Datapoint in over a decade, but surely there should be some ability to reason from their success or failure what will be the case with the Web PC. Best regards, Art Borg ----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----**----