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Are Set-Top Boxes A Solution For Novice Users?
OctaneZ asks: "While I know very few of us would consider a set top box as a good solution for a replacement of a home PC; there are individuals for whom these products would be perfect. I am looking for a solution for completely computer-illiterate relatives; and was wondering if a set top box might be a solution. I am not looking for sheer power, bragging rights, or gaming; just e-mail and Web access. Has anyone had luck with preconfigured set top boxes? and with those, how is the service? Also has anyone made a "roll-your-own" set-top box out of a MicroATX machine? Could a MicroATX implemetation be "deployable" to 3-4 users running LINUX or another OS, and not require regular maintenance or excessive amounts of teaching?"
Amazing, There is a certain irony to the fact that I am logged in under my troll account and drunk enough to leave it that way (though I am no part of the so-called 'Troll War' against slashdot, I just use this account to express extreme displeasure with the occasional post or excersize my twisted sense of humor) and the only person willing or able to post an on-topic, non flamebait opinion on the story. Mmmm....
So I have this friend that happens to be a producer in Hollywood. Not that that makes me special somehow, but he is the real thing. And he has both DSL anda 56k WebTV. He is not exactly computer-illiterate, but he's not quite a "power-user" either. He uses win98, and is rather addicted to lookout (and the rest of Office2000). But he speaks very highly of his WebTV. It seems you can watch some form of PiP, and display detailed info of the show you are watching. As he is especially interested in the details of filmdom, the web-like integration to the movie experience proves invaluable. He is able to look up the vital statistics, historical ancdotes, related info, ordering info and actual industry contacts for any film he's watching.
AND we can read slashdot. I've submitted my most obnoxious, lame stuff from his webTV, testing it out.
Though this is a rather specialized usage of WebTV, it serves to demonstrate the applicability of the system. I myself love movies and would like to have the info available on the same display as the film. Email and Webbrowsing is as easy as any HTML style interface can be. We have yet to find a site that won'trender correctly, which is a lot more than you can say for Lynx.
Over all, I would say that WebTV is a wonderful addition to any TV, if you have a computer or not. If a full fledged machine is not available, you could make do with most of your needs on a WebTV set. The most obvious exceptions are games and mp3's. And since you can get a console videogame macihne and an Apex DVD player for less than the cost of a modern machine, it seems you'd have the full run of things covered, as a user.
Web TV falls short by lacking certain other uses: It's the ability to code in any sense, mass storage of illicit media files, document creation and graphics applications that you'll find lacking in a WebTV box. Those are pretty important apps to most of us, but not at all crucial tro the modern computing experience of web page and email veiwing. So, in short, If your 'friend' wants anything more than a browser on his TV, webTV is not for him/her. However, holy crap I'm ranting... goodbye!
-=(V)0(V)0cr0(V)3=-
You should probably be there for the hookup and to teach basics like navigation.
The only problem I had was trying to answer questions after the fact. (They're 700 miles away and I don't know anyone with WebTV nearby.)
I can't imagine rolling your own and coming up with something easier to use with low maintainance.
If Chaos Theory has taught us anything, it's that we must kill all the butterflies.