And they say I make long posts :-)
<WOW! Even if I build one myself and use really cheap components, I can't do that well!!>
Check the Computer Shopper, they are almost giving away 486s. As for support who knows, but the telcos in my area don't support my cellular phone either, so that point is irrelavant. Support would most likely be contracted out or come directly form the manufacturer, just like the telcos now do cellular hardware.
Just for the hell of it, lets see how inexpensively I can build a Win 95 machine (I forgot to take into consideration the extra requirment of a 32 bit OS, sorry):
586/133 chip and board - $99
svga card - $29
BS offbrand 14 on. monitor. $200
8mb ram $42
28.8 modem - $70
800 mb HD- $100
Case + Powersupply $20. Mouse, Keybd, Floppy: $20
Win 95 is $99 retail, as a large volume VAR I could get it for less.
This machine will do a lot, lot more than a Web TV, and wil look much better as well - for under $600. The web TV will run you $400. If you are a family and have school aged children, would you really buy a TV over this system, especailly if you didn't have to buy it all (telco subisdy).
<What if your disk crashes?>
Read the directions that came with the box, just like I did when I got started..
<What if Junior accidently deletes your system directory. Or your quicken data files for that matter?>
At least you have that functionaliy, it will be quite a while before TV gets there. My four year son plays with my P/133 constantly, nothing has happened yet.
<Watch out for lighting storms-a power surge could really fry you! >
Woudn't it fry a Web TV bos as well?
< But if I just want to consume information and do email (and I'm confident that the majority of the untapped consumer market falls into this category), I would really entertain leaving the storage, administration, software+hardware upgrade chores to the access and content/service providers, and gladly pay my monthly fee for access to an ever-widening array of services, entertainment, productivity tools..>
I agree, considering the workhorse capabilitiy is not offered on par pricewise with plain vanilla access. Once Price parity coes into play, it is a different scenario You must recognize that when you enter productivity tools, the WebTV is very limited. What could you possibly do on a WebTV that would invalidate an inexpensive, simplified computer, once it comes to productivity or multimedia?
< But too many entities have too much to gain from a switch to the Network Computing paradigm. And as a result, the resources of these untold hordes of beneficiaries will be aimed squarely at solving the bandwidth problem and other obstacles that stand in the way of the switch>
From a dollar perspective, more entities have too much to lose to allow the PC dominance to be circumvented. For every dollar thar goes into driving the NC/appliance, a $1.25 will go into the PC/appliance development. I agree that a lot of resources are going into the bandwith problem, but from different perspectives.
<Even if I come to rely on local data, the benefits of a universal, simple, and very inexpensive client can conceivably spur Netscape and others to develop an optional browser-OS that would allow direct hardware device manipulation (including disk drives) without the services of an OS like Windows. So how would this differ from what MSFT is doing now? It would be plenty simpler, albeit more limited, and it would be cheaper.>
The advantage that MSFT has is development lead time and a superior developer base. microsoft.com microsoft.com
It would be very difficult for NSCP to build a browser-OS before MSFT that can compete. Windows CE is already out, and it is receiving acceptance. It is my opinion that it is/was a mistake to attempt to challenge MSFTin the OS arena. MSFT has trounced IBM, eventhough OS/2 was purportedely a better product.
<Sadly for Microsoft, these trends runs counter to their business model. MS derives significant revenue from OS software.>
This is not just the world versus MSFT. it is the world versus MSFT and thier developers, customers and app users. It would take a lot to convince the 4 million or so VB developers to code for a NSCP OS in lieus of Windows CE.
< Because, again, too many entities have too much to gain from reducing the cost of access to the internet. And the first thing that can go is the cost of the client OS. If Microsoft wants to play here, they'll need to cut their prices dramatically.>
The cost of CE will most likely be quiite competitive (if MSFT doesn't want to do itself in). It is also bound to be a market leader and a first. Notice the leads in publicity and third party following it has over NAVIO (remember them). |
