*** Not so Off Topic ***
In today's paper, the comic strip "Hi & Lois" by Chance Brown
Caption 1: (Scene: Mom is seated at computer, hubby and teen-age son approaching)
Son: "What are you doing?"
Mom: "Checking into my gardening news group."
Hubby: "When you're done, I'd like to check my e-mail!"
Caption 2: (Scene: Mom is seated at computer, grade school boy and girl watching)
Girl: "Hurry up, Mom. I have to do a report!"
Boy: "I wanna chat with Glen!"
Caption 3: (Scene: Mom is seated at computer, entire family watching)
Teen-age son: "I liked it better when I was the only one who knew how to use the computer."
JMHO, folks. Although this is a comic strip, I don't think we should dismiss it too lightly. I think that there is a lot of valuable social commentary here.
1. From the time just a few years ago, when the AVERAGE home did not have a computer, we are rapidly moving to a time when EVERY household member will have a computer, and some may have more than one.
2. Of course, many of them will be lower end machines. In fact, for many purposes, e-machines may be ideally suited. A portion of those family machines will undoubtedly be DELLs.
3. The increased number of machines is going to create a demand for additional phone lines, quicker modems, or high-capacity internet links of some sort.
4. The increased number of co-located machines is going to create a demand for some sort of home-networking capability--and possibly Home Servers.
5. The additional machines may not resemble computers (as we currently think of them) at all.
Anyone care to add to the above? And BTW, which companies do you think are best placed to benefit from this phenomenon, either with current product or market share or with product in development? And where do you think DELL could best leverage this change? Home Servers perhaps?
DELLish, 3. |
