>>>> What happens if the network is down? What happens if the central processor is down?
What happens if there's a horrible mishap and the main central processor, along with all
the backups are destroyed? Does that mean everyone's data would be lost? I see the
potential for so much donwtime and outages that the first year of the introduction of
Netpcs would be the last!>>>>>
I believe you are under the misimpression that network computing in the 90's is a simple reversion to the dumb terminals of the 70's. You could not be more mistaken. The new paradigm for network computing is distributed computing with massive storage and redundant backup and servers. Having server backup and redundant systems in the UNIX world is nothing new (that's why so many institutions requiring mission critical apps stay with UNIX -- i.e., most banks and financial institutions). Perhaps you are thinking about Windows 95 (which crashes regularly on my PC), or NT (which still appears to be very unstable).
Distributed computing (unlike dumb terminals), allows every client to have their own computing power, while retaining system administration and data wharehousing in a centrally based, easily managed structure. Java apps will exist for every possible task (even games!), so you can do whatever you want on a thin client (spreadsheets, database access, e-mail and web surfing). What you won't be able to do is run programs your employer doesn't want you to! (I agree that this is bad in a free-wheeling 60's flower power sense, but think of the corporate benefits -- virus protection, control over web access, sabatoge control, control over configuration snafus). Bottom line: be happy about the new thin client on you desk (ie take it out of your *#&$), and use your superpowered thick Windows 95 machine to play Duke 3d at home (I do!).
All the best. |
