foreverserenity

Join Date 06/2004

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What if the Internet was your Computer?

and all you need is a keyboard!

Steve Wozniak, co founder of Apple wrote a book called Iwoz which he was promoting on the Tavis Smiley Show. Tavis asked him what does he see for technology in the future, Steve said the day will come when the Internet will be our computer.

Where we can go to it and download our word program and our spreadsheet and do what we have to do directly from it without there being a software program (on our desktop) and that will be a good thing because technology is such a fragile thing, developers can't think of ideas two years into the future and not put it out right away because the programming that is invented today, will be improved on tomorrow and what you've created for the future two years down the road for one program, will be of no use because so many improvements have been made on that one program that is already out and what you planned for two years down the road will be useless. In other words, the way developers are constantly improving on current technology, always putting out a new, more advanced game, program, etc. If the Internet was our computer, it wouldn't be necessary!

When I heard him say this, I thought about a conversation I had earlier today (er, yesterday) with two friends as to why developers bother to make these game systems and then six months or a year down the road, there's a newer more advanced version. Someone responded that first, they make money, which I agreed with, so true! And second, the developers get imput from people who use their systems and/or programs and tell them what's wrong, what doesn't work and what will make it better, the developer uses this to improve his creation, and walla, the cycle continues!

It is a good thing I know. But with all that improvement, how many game systems are we going to buy? There are some people who own everything that has been placed out there in the market! The only part about it I don't like is, when you spend the money to buy a system, a month later, (it seems that way!) it's extinct and they no longer make new games for it! And I look at my son as if he's crazy and hope for the day when he will be making money of his own! LOL! I don't really. But ya know!

At any rate, I think Mr. Wozniak's idea is really cool, because you wouldn't have to worry about buying the program for your individual use, it will already be there on the Internet and you just type in a hurl and get what you want and use it! Pretty much the way you do when there's an upgrade to a program you already have really! The thing with this idea, is would it be free?

Of course not, it won't be! Developers have to make money right? And for the convenience of not having to buy an entire new computer system, or new software programs, hey, it's already there on the Internet. Of course I know they have programs on different sites, like Microsoft, to download and upgrade etc., but how cool it would be if there will be no need for you to buy it because it's already there and available for everyone?!

His view is that with developers spending money to clean up or rebuilt a system that has been hacked into or eaten by viruses, having it this way would prevent such things from happening because it's all on the Internet and readily available to everyone!

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Oh yeah, the Mac may not be everyone's favorite 'puter but I re-read the story of how the two Steves came up with Apple and thought it would be nice to share, for those who didn't know. For you people out there with your ideas, never let it die!

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Where's the Edit button? I have to add two words to a sentence - wahh!

"Steve said he hopes the day will come when the Internet will be our computer". There, hope that clarifies. No edit button around when you need it. Ya know after you've read, and re-read there's still something that needs fixing! [the joy of writing]

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The idea isn't new. Steve's idea of what computers will become isn't any different that Bill's. The problem is that it simply won't work. Never mind the fact that there are other operating systems out there, but simply the fact that a lot of what computers are used for don't need an internet connection and in fact are shielded from such a connection for security reasons.

He is speaking of what would be an ideal situation for his company, not necessarily what would be the best situation for computer users. Operating system requirements are still too varied or his (and Bill's) fascist visions to ever come to fruition. (thank God)

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I remember back in the mid 90s, sitting in a phone bank playing tech support for Prodigy (anyone remember that? :~D ). I had a poster I made myself on my cubicle wall that said... "I'm on the World Wide Web: The world is my Harddrive".

guess I wasn't that far off. :~D

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Prodigy.. dinosaurs were knocking out phone lines.

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but simply the fact that a lot of what computers are used for don't need an internet connection and in fact are shielded from such a connection for security reasons

Yes, security is something for them to work on. But he suggested that it would be a deterrent because it would all be there and available.[of course my interpritation of what he said might be wrong - but that's what I got].

tech support for Prodigy (anyone remember that? :~D ). I had a poster I made myself on my cubicle wall that said... "I'm on the World Wide Web: The world is my Harddrive".

I remember the name. That's definately insightful Ted!

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But he suggested that it would be a deterrent because it would all be there and available.[

No, that would be THE security and trust nightmare.

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No, that would be THE security and trust nightmare.

Ahhh.

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there is already a prototype for an online os. i found it in a magazine and it is pretty cool. it's at WWW Link

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there is already a prototype for an online os. i found it in a magazine and it is pretty cool. it's at WWW Link

Wow, thx for the link! I will def sign up to check it out!

Reply By: Bichur

Cute!

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I think there are too many issues with having the Internet as your computer. With documents stored elsewhere, it's a virtual certainty that your entire life could be hacked, and your identity stolen with even greater ease than it is currently. A hacker with your entire address book could steal all of your corporate contacts, company secrets, etc. It is simply too risky to make the Internet your hard drive. To say nothing of the ease with which a malicious government could audit your files without even being detected.

Then there is the fact that the further you are from your host, the less reliable the connection. While service has gotten better and better, the truth is that things can and do fail, and that a break in the connection could cost your business thousands, even millions of dollars. Who's going to assume the liability for such failure?

Even when I have a home Internet connection again, there will be parts of my home system that will remain segregated from the Internet (yet another thing I don't like about Windows XP...it's made more for the Internet than it is for your computer). Even the best firewall is not as good as completely disabling any connections to the Internet.

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Even when I have a home Internet connection again, there will be parts of my home system that will remain segregated from the Internet (yet another thing I don't like about Windows XP...it's made more for the Internet than it is for your computer). Even the best firewall is not as good as completely disabling any connections to the Internet.

Yes, I hear you about that! I don't get why there's always a message that comes up that they want to run active X or XP control on my computer? Weird, so I always close the box that pops up!

But I do see your point when it comes to the unknown though. Maybe if the Internet being our computer ever happens, and I know that's a big 'if' there would have to be safe guards in place or perhaps some type of privacy drive that each person would have. I don't know, just throwing thoughts out!

But that's probably how that would work. Good points though!

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