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Re: Lucent Technologies & Sun Microsystems

At 12:14 PM 4/28/97 -0500, you wrote:
>tedk wrote:
>
>> Note -- Networking Computers has little to do with Network Computers -- the
>> former is a voluntary interconnection to solve a problem much like a
>> democratic form of government -- the latter is forcing interconnections for
>> every function much like solcialism or communism
>> 
>>
>Guess what I think of as a Network Computer is sort of in between. What
>is the internet? Don't you have a choice about what web pages to look at
>or where to send email. Do you have an Internet Service Provider? I
>don't understand why it is bad to connect to a network and use services
>within a network. If it suits me, then its democratic and if it doesn't
>its socialism? I don't understand how I can communicate or get
>information without interconnections, this baffles me. 

Ian,

You're missing my point

Networking is fine (I have nothing against networking) but to say that I
can't maintain my own files, can't keep a local copy of a commonly used
program -- surely you jest.

I think the real answer is a continuum offering the user through a multitude
of devices access as required.

In other words I can take immediate nots on my palmtop, set it down next to
my notebook and have the notes transfer it I want to the other.
Simultaneouisly my notebook can receive updates of important files from my
home-office desktop/server
wheter my home/office is a big bldg downtown filled with a big high
performance network or in my home.  You see a network computer is only
useful in the network a genral purpose PC can be a network computer when
appropriate and autonomous when appropriate (can't yet network very easily
from a 777 flying to the UK), in the Paris Metro or the London Uderground.
I had the opportunity to observe those venues directly within the last week.
So under those conditions what good is a network computer.  On the otherhand
a computer that can be connected to a network -- a very flexible set of
connections (IR, wired, RF wireless) is the way of the future -- even if its
core is a PC running windows.

thanks for your comments though

                        Ted
***************************************************************************
Ted Kochanski, Ph.D.
Sensors Signals Systems  ---  "Complex Systems -- Analysis and Architecture"
--- "Inferno-ware"
http://www.sensorsys.com
e-mail tpk@sensorsys.com   phone (617) 861-6167  fax  861-0476
11 Aerial St., Lexington, MA 02173