>>So, for example, why not offer my father, and the many computer-less
>>users like him, a cheap network computer that incorporates an ADSL
>>terminal unit? Then, don't stop at providing them 'Net access, but
>>go a step further and rent them a server-based word processor based
>>on a thin-client technology such as Java. Or, for a higher price,
>>rent out a suite of business software. Why stop there-why not rent
>>games to kids?
In the above scenario, the key word is "rent". Unfortunately, that simply will not work. The problem with renting is that the price will be too high. For example, right now you can rent games for most console. However, the kids ALWAYS buy the games they like. Why? because the cost of renting quickly passes the cost of buying, and if you are going to use anything significantly over time, this will almost always be so.
Renting makes sense for three scenarios. 1) trying several different possibilities before choosing the one for actual use and purchase. 2) For some reason, the period of use is very limited (especially furniture for office or temporary living). 3) you are very cash and credit starved.
Note that the first two simply will not apply to most computer users under normal situations, and are being met by many of the current renters for the few cases where it is needed. The last case applies to only a very small market, (especially since even the worst credit cards charge lower interest rates than what renting would figure out to be).
Any use of NC that does not allow for purchase of common usage and a place to store it (at VERY LOW cost) will not make it in the home. You can now easily find loaded 2nd-hand 486 based machines for under the $500 price that will easily meet the criteria above. Even buying it on credit can result in much lower costs than buying the $300 NC and renting the software and other NC support. Further, when was the last time you tried to do word processing on your home TV (that is the basis of the $300 NC). That was abandoned in the very early 1980's, because you cannot see enough characters on a TV screen (especially if you are trying to do anything WYSIWYG). And I just love the thought of trying to do continuous grammer and spell-checking on-line (i.e., sending all of that to the central computer--just check Office-97 features).
Forget the NC for word processing, and most general-purpose home use. It only makes sense for on-line browsing, or accessing central servers and programs OWNED by the company, school, .... Any other way is going to price it out of the competition.
Mark Finger |
