He may have founded Palm - and I do encourage him to push forward with Numenta - but I'm still trying to get my Palm to sync on 2 different computers..............
it of course is YAFC ( Yet Another Fucking Choice ) ---- "Normal People" who lead a "normal" life doing non-technology jobs and who are causual technology users are already baffled and overwhelmed by XP let alone Vista or Linux (comes in 32 flavors ! mmmmm ---mmmmm). Go ahead strike up a casual conversation with any real non-techie about Linux --- its a real hoot !! It begins to feel as if you're a perv or something as they stare with glassy eyes.....
So I have a real hard time thinking Dell will market to the general Joe/Jane --- let alone Dell dropping several hundred thousand $$$ to staff-up - gear up - to crank out Linux boxes without a real market target target. Now one market I can think of (as I do tech-support at a high school) is both K12 and higher ed.....
Of course for that to really happen - many of the educational programs either need to get ported to Linux or run verywell under some kind of emulation that doesn't require a MS-$ license.
As to buying a box - preloaded - no I don't think so ---- now if I could buy a box (laptop) certified to work with distros A -B - C ------- That I could go with
Keep in mind I'm actually an Ex HW_Hack........ From Wikipedia:
A rootkit is a set of software tools intended to conceal running processes, files or system data from the operating system. Rootkits have their origin in relatively benign applications, but in recent years have been used increasingly by malware to help intruders maintain access to systems while avoiding detection. Rootkits exist for a variety of operating systems, such as Linux, Solaris and versions of Microsoft Windows. Rootkits often modify parts of the operating system or install themselves as drivers or kernel modules.
The best and most reliable method for rootkit detection is to shut down the computer suspected of infection and check its storage by booting from an alternative media (e.g. rescue CD-ROM or USB flash drive). A non-running rootkit cannot hide its presence and most established antivirus programs will identify rootkits armed via standard OS calls (which are supposedly doctored by the rootkit) and lower level queries, which ought to remain reliable. If there is a difference the presence of a rootkit infection can be assumed. Rootkits attempt to protect themselves by monitoring running processes and suspending their activity until the scanning has finished.
So.... with disk space becoming trivial couldn't your OS make a copy of itself to a locked partition during OS install - these become master reference files. Then a second security CPU (Xscale etc.) is embedded on the MB with access to system memory (dual-port) ---- during idle periods the security CPU runs random OS calls on system memory and compares those to results of system call from the locked partition.
As I ejected from Intel R+D in '04 we were already doing early work on embeddng Xscale on MBs for other purposes........ beats me I'm just a ex-hw-hack
""You're forgetting a major factor here. Most people didn't learn the applications they use. They were *trained on them*. They never learned the program conceptually. They learned it procedurally... step-by-step.""
Trained or mentored (on applications or OS operations) ---- the average non-techie basically learns by rote.... doing the same steps over and over until they become "proficient". As a front-line support person at a large high school I constantly see new employees who claim to be "PC proficient" crash and burn while trying to learn how to use OSX for the most basic computing operations. So in a terrible stroke of fate..... they are already captured by MS. They've learned all they need to know and have other interests or things to do.
I believe there are only 2 things that will drive the "herd" away from MS offerings: cost or security. If the net continues to sprial down on security issues this may drive some folks to Linux or OSX.
However, being a glutton for punishment I plan to offer a Linux demo in the Staff lounge and may offer monthly "Linux Sessions" where staff can be assisted in loading Linux on their personal PCs etc.
some people (both young and old) don't give 2 sh!ts about how computers work. The bottom line is that all these folks JUST WANT TO GET SOME WORK DONE. They don't care about CPUs or network switches -- the see the computer as a TOOL and they (the user) are immersed in their own world be it education - accounting - marketing - etc.
After 16yrs as a hard core HW design engineer - I've moved to an IT position in a fairly large school system - working directly with users at a large high school. I see no users as "dumb"... only some who are high maintenance - some who are competant - some who are power users. I try my best to tutor the "challenged user" to make them more capable. I'm having a lot of fun at work.
My biggest hassle (which affects both me and folks I support) is some "hot-shot" IT jockey putting a new piece of equipment on line and bringing the entire network down - or mail application - etc. And of course "the boys down town in the IT center" see no reason to give the front-line support staff any kind of heads-up message ---- nor will they easily "fess-up" to causing the problem when you call them on it. IT managment is the worst enemy of IT.
Using the old Betamax example - when consumers (even businesses) are faced with a decision where added cost or complexity or having to wait - competes with a technology that is "good enough" or "works well enough to get the job done" and that technology is readily available....... the answer is a no-brainer (literally). If its good enough and works most of the time its a done deal - hence MS on the desktop.
The consumer (i.e. a non-geek) will make the simple decision every time.
I know longer think about Linux torpedoing MS - I use Linux because its superior for both my home computing and for servers at work. I also use Macs, and when I have to I use Xpeeee.
Now if Linux was as mature as it is now when Win95 came out.... you might have a horse race
No way dude ------- Lotus 1-2-3 was a "killer App" -- an early spreadsheet --- something useful.
Lotus Notes was an early attempt at collaboration / groupware ---- unintuitive and poorly integrated - it was DOA - I know I was forced to try and use it... we held a party when management sh!t-canned it
He said that Lotus 1-2-3 was killed, in part, by Microsoft encouraging Lotus's programmers to use the Windows API even though Microsoft's own developers found it too complicated to use."
I recall Lotus Notes........ and let me say that the only thing that killed Lotus Notes was Lotus Notes itself.
I believe I've found one thing that you can't blame Microsoft for.......
I agree the problem is one of the UI or GUI or whatever you want to call it. A previous poster also mentioned that one of constant problem areas remains to be (with average users) the abstract idea of storage. Is my file on the hard drive - or memory.... etc. And that does't even get into a networked connection / remote file server.
And contrary to what some assert here - that in 15-20ys everyone will be competant users - most people just want to get their work done or email sent or crop a frickin' picture save it and print it. They don't care or want to know how it happens or why. Its been about 10yrs since Win95 came out with fairly consistent (although still too complex/abstract) and people young and old still struggle with PCs. We have nice neighbors on both sides of us and since wifey and I are both techies we help out a bit occasionally... the kids in family "A" are both quite comfortable using PCs - game boxes etc. , the kids in family "B" just are not interested in PC's beyond doing homework - IM - or surfing (and they do loose files / struggle with pictures etc).
I currently provide on-site tech-support at a large high school (2300 kids - 130 staff) and even the youngest new hire teachers while "comfortable" with computing still struggle as I mentioned with the whole "where did my file go" syndrome etc. or other basics ----- These are some very smart people but their focus is education - not computer science. The computer is viewed as tool which should EASILY assist in creating and delivering educational content --- thats it!
So yes both the OS GUI and applications have a ways to go in both seamless operation(s) and functionality. I agree with others that Apples OSX comes closest to hiding a lot of complexity - but its still has its quirks.
I'll close by saying that I was lucky to be part of a small group of people that tackled "ease-of-use" at Intel with regards to the PC. And their were many high-level discussions about walking into such a "briar-patch" and would users even care or would the ROI be worth it. This was in the fall of 1998 when PCs were huge - noisey - and all the connectors were in the rear. Through a series of concepts we moved USB ports to the front - followed by audio / mic jacks - standards were changed etc. --- we now expect ports in the front pehaps nicely hid or behind smoked plastic. Acoustics went from 45dB to new systems you and barely hear via working with fan vendors on blade shapes - bearings - speed control.... system contol chips / sensor buses were designed and spec'd. Lastly we pioneered air flow methods to allow for smaller systems. By the end of our work Intel had a fully staffed industrial design department doing user studies and watching how people use PCs or other technology. That said --- they have along ways to go in really using that data wisely. Because there are still people in high places questioning the value of "knowing your customer needs" or spending an extra 25 cents on a motheroard to add a feature "customers seem to want".
The core system HW has been evolving for ease-of-use or ease-of-experience..... Both the OS/GUI and the apps need to continue as well.
Not as bad or dire as we percieve them to be ( Bush could be an exception to this rule). And that this old Earth is still a pretty tough old bitch.
- So hoping the world & the US (with Dems in control) make some progress on Global Warming.'
- Hopeful the Earth can tough-it-out as we slowly reduce greenhouse emmisions
- Hopeful that people are starting to believe that the small choices they make everyday can reduce greenhouse emmisions
- Hopeful tha stem cell research will be allowed to progress ( I have a blood based cancer)
Absent from my Hopeful list based on the realities of Human Nature: Peace any where in the Middle East, nuclear arms control, ethics reform in politics, accountability in the White House
My comments brushed over a lot of history - but bottom line is that Intel is still stuck on a "centralized CPU" model - and this view is based on 2 things: the left-over view that the CPU MUST DO EVERYTHING, and because they are a CPU company.... they fear letting the CPU becoming marginalized or diluted. But lets face it - new OS's and apps are doing more and requiring more specialized resources. Video - audio - and IO needs will grow every year. And since modern OS's and Apps have under-pinnings that play well and hide complexity from the user --- the future of computing IMHO is a more specialized and distributed PC architecture. Yes lots of cores in the main CPU (for running multiple concurrent OS sessions) -- but a mother board should also have company's ABC GPU and companies XYZ IO processor ------ thus off loading the main CPU from these tasks and more importantyl resulting in greater overall performance / thruput. And yes a future system might also automatically adapt its "cores" for the task(s) its doing. A universal core model could be just a "black-box" specification... company ABC add value by making the core contents + driver stack superior to its competitors.................. I'm no longer in the game - but I love to watch the wheels go round and round
Or.... how we got here
As a developer in R+D at Intel thu the 90's and into 2003 I was privledged to watch the PC grow up. Like some I can remember DOS 6.x and Windows 3.1 ---- and the joy of spend hours getting new HW to work ( IRQs etc.) Both Intel and MSFT wanted the PC to gain market share. Microsoft pursued Win95 - 98 ---- XP --- along the way working with Intel (and the industry) to get true plug-n-play working etc.
Intel took a 2 pronged path: develop and design their own chipsets (a good thing), and make the CPU do EVERYTHING. This was the mantra in the 90's and up until I left. The CPU must do everything !!! This was seen as a way to get out of driver / IRQ hell. You see by having the CPU (along with a chipset feature) handle audio you've eliminated the need for a sound card and customer complaints - and the "perception" the PC is crap. THE CPU MUST DO EVERYTHING !!! Soon CPU+chipset graphics came to be... MHz sprialed up to handle the growing CPU workloads and supporting MSFTs bloatware and GUI. Then the GHz wars were on....
But I have to give MSFT credit for refining plug-n-play - APIs - HALs - etc (Linux and OSX have done the same) -- the key here OS's and Apps now easily handle drivers - interrupt mapping - etc. Yet Intel continues to put all the computing marbles in the CPU ---- leading to bottle necks - thermal / power build-ups - etc. The time is coming where we need to "distribute" processing power. Yes we still need a central CPU for overseeing the system -- but we can also use a dedicated GPU --- and an IO processor. Such an arrangment not only helps to distribute the computing load -- it also disperses the thermal and power load.... no mega-hot-spots of a CPU DOING EVERYTHING. Sounds to me like AMD is moving to a notion of "universal" cores -- could be a first step towards a new architecture ----- who knows ----- but from my point of view the primary CPU should be handling key OS tasks and monitoring security and platform health... not pumping out GFX cycles or audio effects etc.
All very true - our bodies have been "bathed" in natural sources of Electromagnetic Waves (EM) since the dawn of time and since he advent of radio and TV this has only increased. I sit here with EM waves from terrestial sources (radio etc.) - galactic sources - and my own local Wifi. I feel fine !!!!! Now if you crank up the "power" of the EM sources really high - or stand right next to the signal emitter some damage could occur. Now if you really want some peace and quiet -- you need to build a room sealed with 1/8" copper plate covering all surfaces - soldered together -- then ground it with a iron rod driven 6ft into the ground. Ahhhhhh peace and quiet from the EM storm. I think the school needs to hold double-blind studies with "fake" WiFi in some roomds real WiFi in others ---- lets get all science about it
When working at one of Intels newer R+D campuses I purchased 2 of those squishy "stress balls" made up of a laytex balloon filled with sand. One went into my office (8x9 cube) the other went home - niether got used --- too busy:) After 9 months the stress ball in my office (while untouched) looked like it had been through a tour of Iraq ---- the stress ball at home looked basically brand new.
That told me there was something wrong - really wrong with the whole "environment"
I'm now making a lot less working as a Technology Facilitator at a large local high school - low stress - I share a large office with a couple technology teachers.... and have a window I can actually open. The kids are a kick as well.
Its the experience dummy not just the color accent
on
When Beige Won't Do
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
As an ex-Intel developer I've had first hand experience "trying" to develop new form factors - new looks - "new excitement" for the PC industry. Back in '99 whne the defacto PC was a full ATX tower running a Pentium III and making 45dB in noise. We designed a radical pyramid shaped legacy-free PC (only USB, Firewire, LAN, VGA) that would fit on a mouse pad ad produced only 37dB in noise. It was an experiment in shock therapy for the PC industry. We went on to do many others - but the bottom line is the PC is what it is because of strict standards... standards for each and every component from shape of motherboard to cases and screws. This is one of te reasons PCs can be built so cheaply -- think cookie cutter to the nth degree.
Our work on form factors really went no-where as both the industry AND consumers are hooked on cheap PCs (cost cost cost). In the end we did manage to influence acoustics - ergonomics - and a slight reduction in size for some PCs. But all along my overall major issue was that the "real user experience" is more than color and plastic... its the OS that you interact with - its useability / intuitiveness / stability / and security. Making a PC blue and silver does not cover up the warts that XP sprouts on the screen and the user experience. In the end - the data plainly indicated that what users really wanted was a PC that just *%$#(@ works !!! Clearly indicating major issues with XP (complexity to basic security to stability). Of course such things (stability - security) are boring... they don't have the pizzaz of "Aero windows" or what ever else is in Vista.
I type this comment on my G5 iMac -- it has a small foot-print - quiet - and OS X just works (stable & secure). It costs more than a PC - but then its not a PC - thats the point. It sits next to my custom built Pentium 4 PC (quiet and power efficient) in a standard mico-ATX case running Ubuntu Linux - it just works and its stable and secure. Both can create compatible documents to share with the "XP world" - thats all that matters.
The "standard PC" will continue to evolve based on advances in CPUs & highly integrated chips / memory / hard drives. But cost is the primary driver for the masses be they businesses or individuals. Most importantly the true "user experience" of the OS is perhaps coming to point of change -- Vista - OS X - Linux - Google OS(?). In the very near future you will be able to run multiple OS's concurrently -- couple that with a hot pink PC and you just might be on to something.....
Slashdot Mirror
Shouldn't we define some laws for human behavior first ........
He may have founded Palm - and I do encourage him to push forward with Numenta - but I'm still trying to get my Palm to sync on 2 different computers ..............
it of course is YAFC ( Yet Another Fucking Choice ) ---- "Normal People" who lead a "normal" life doing non-technology jobs and who are causual technology users are already baffled and overwhelmed by XP let alone Vista or Linux (comes in 32 flavors ! mmmmm ---mmmmm). Go ahead strike up a casual conversation with any real non-techie about Linux --- its a real hoot !! It begins to feel as if you're a perv or something as they stare with glassy eyes .....
.....
So I have a real hard time thinking Dell will market to the general Joe/Jane --- let alone Dell dropping several hundred thousand $$$ to staff-up - gear up - to crank out Linux boxes without a real market target target. Now one market I can think of (as I do tech-support at a high school) is both K12 and higher ed
Of course for that to really happen - many of the educational programs either need to get ported to Linux or run verywell under some kind of emulation that doesn't require a MS-$ license.
As to buying a box - preloaded - no I don't think so ---- now if I could buy a box (laptop) certified to work with distros A -B - C ------- That I could go with
Keep in mind I'm actually an Ex HW_Hack ........ From Wikipedia:
.... with disk space becoming trivial couldn't your OS make a copy of itself to a locked partition during OS install - these become master reference files. Then a second security CPU (Xscale etc.) is embedded on the MB with access to system memory (dual-port) ---- during idle periods the security CPU runs random OS calls on system memory and compares those to results of system call from the locked partition.
........ beats me I'm just a ex-hw-hack
A rootkit is a set of software tools intended to conceal running processes, files or system data from the operating system. Rootkits have their origin in relatively benign applications, but in recent years have been used increasingly by malware to help intruders maintain access to systems while avoiding detection. Rootkits exist for a variety of operating systems, such as Linux, Solaris and versions of Microsoft Windows. Rootkits often modify parts of the operating system or install themselves as drivers or kernel modules.
The best and most reliable method for rootkit detection is to shut down the computer suspected of infection and check its storage by booting from an alternative media (e.g. rescue CD-ROM or USB flash drive). A non-running rootkit cannot hide its presence and most established antivirus programs will identify rootkits armed via standard OS calls (which are supposedly doctored by the rootkit) and lower level queries, which ought to remain reliable. If there is a difference the presence of a rootkit infection can be assumed. Rootkits attempt to protect themselves by monitoring running processes and suspending their activity until the scanning has finished.
So
As I ejected from Intel R+D in '04 we were already doing early work on embeddng Xscale on MBs for other purposes
""You're forgetting a major factor here. Most people didn't learn the applications they use. They were *trained on them*. They never learned the program conceptually. They learned it procedurally... step-by-step.""
.... doing the same steps over and over until they become "proficient". As a front-line support person at a large high school I constantly see new employees who claim to be "PC proficient" crash and burn while trying to learn how to use OSX for the most basic computing operations. So in a terrible stroke of fate ..... they are already captured by MS. They've learned all they need to know and have other interests or things to do.
Trained or mentored (on applications or OS operations) ---- the average non-techie basically learns by rote
I believe there are only 2 things that will drive the "herd" away from MS offerings: cost or security. If the net continues to sprial down on security issues this may drive some folks to Linux or OSX.
However, being a glutton for punishment I plan to offer a Linux demo in the Staff lounge and may offer monthly "Linux Sessions" where staff can be assisted in loading Linux on their personal PCs etc.
some people (both young and old) don't give 2 sh!ts about how computers work. The bottom line is that all these folks JUST WANT TO GET SOME WORK DONE. They don't care about CPUs or network switches -- the see the computer as a TOOL and they (the user) are immersed in their own world be it education - accounting - marketing - etc.
... only some who are high maintenance - some who are competant - some who are power users. I try my best to tutor the "challenged user" to make them more capable. I'm having a lot of fun at work.
After 16yrs as a hard core HW design engineer - I've moved to an IT position in a fairly large school system - working directly with users at a large high school. I see no users as "dumb"
My biggest hassle (which affects both me and folks I support) is some "hot-shot" IT jockey putting a new piece of equipment on line and bringing the entire network down - or mail application - etc. And of course "the boys down town in the IT center" see no reason to give the front-line support staff any kind of heads-up message ---- nor will they easily "fess-up" to causing the problem when you call them on it. IT managment is the worst enemy of IT.
Using the old Betamax example - when consumers (even businesses) are faced with a decision where added cost or complexity or having to wait - competes with a technology that is "good enough" or "works well enough to get the job done" and that technology is readily available ....... the answer is a no-brainer (literally). If its good enough and works most of the time its a done deal - hence MS on the desktop.
.... you might have a horse race
The consumer (i.e. a non-geek) will make the simple decision every time.
I know longer think about Linux torpedoing MS - I use Linux because its superior for both my home computing and for servers at work. I also use Macs, and when I have to I use Xpeeee.
Now if Linux was as mature as it is now when Win95 came out
No way dude ------- Lotus 1-2-3 was a "killer App" -- an early spreadsheet --- something useful.
... we held a party when management sh!t-canned it
Lotus Notes was an early attempt at collaboration / groupware ---- unintuitive and poorly integrated - it was DOA - I know I was forced to try and use it
He said that Lotus 1-2-3 was killed, in part, by Microsoft encouraging Lotus's programmers to use the Windows API even though Microsoft's own developers found it too complicated to use." I recall Lotus Notes ........ and let me say that the only thing that killed Lotus Notes was Lotus Notes itself.
I believe I've found one thing that you can't blame Microsoft for .......
I agree the problem is one of the UI or GUI or whatever you want to call it. A previous poster also mentioned that one of constant problem areas remains to be (with average users) the abstract idea of storage. Is my file on the hard drive - or memory .... etc. And that does't even get into a networked connection / remote file server.
... the kids in family "A" are both quite comfortable using PCs - game boxes etc. , the kids in family "B" just are not interested in PC's beyond doing homework - IM - or surfing (and they do loose files / struggle with pictures etc).
.... system contol chips / sensor buses were designed and spec'd. Lastly we pioneered air flow methods to allow for smaller systems. By the end of our work Intel had a fully staffed industrial design department doing user studies and watching how people use PCs or other technology. That said --- they have along ways to go in really using that data wisely. Because there are still people in high places questioning the value of "knowing your customer needs" or spending an extra 25 cents on a motheroard to add a feature "customers seem to want".
..... Both the OS/GUI and the apps need to continue as well.
And contrary to what some assert here - that in 15-20ys everyone will be competant users - most people just want to get their work done or email sent or crop a frickin' picture save it and print it. They don't care or want to know how it happens or why. Its been about 10yrs since Win95 came out with fairly consistent (although still too complex/abstract) and people young and old still struggle with PCs. We have nice neighbors on both sides of us and since wifey and I are both techies we help out a bit occasionally
I currently provide on-site tech-support at a large high school (2300 kids - 130 staff) and even the youngest new hire teachers while "comfortable" with computing still struggle as I mentioned with the whole "where did my file go" syndrome etc. or other basics ----- These are some very smart people but their focus is education - not computer science. The computer is viewed as tool which should EASILY assist in creating and delivering educational content --- thats it!
So yes both the OS GUI and applications have a ways to go in both seamless operation(s) and functionality. I agree with others that Apples OSX comes closest to hiding a lot of complexity - but its still has its quirks.
I'll close by saying that I was lucky to be part of a small group of people that tackled "ease-of-use" at Intel with regards to the PC. And their were many high-level discussions about walking into such a "briar-patch" and would users even care or would the ROI be worth it. This was in the fall of 1998 when PCs were huge - noisey - and all the connectors were in the rear. Through a series of concepts we moved USB ports to the front - followed by audio / mic jacks - standards were changed etc. --- we now expect ports in the front pehaps nicely hid or behind smoked plastic. Acoustics went from 45dB to new systems you and barely hear via working with fan vendors on blade shapes - bearings - speed control
The core system HW has been evolving for ease-of-use or ease-of-experience
Not as bad or dire as we percieve them to be ( Bush could be an exception to this rule). And that this old Earth is still a pretty tough old bitch. - So hoping the world & the US (with Dems in control) make some progress on Global Warming.' - Hopeful the Earth can tough-it-out as we slowly reduce greenhouse emmisions - Hopeful that people are starting to believe that the small choices they make everyday can reduce greenhouse emmisions - Hopeful tha stem cell research will be allowed to progress ( I have a blood based cancer) Absent from my Hopeful list based on the realities of Human Nature: Peace any where in the Middle East, nuclear arms control, ethics reform in politics, accountability in the White House
My comments brushed over a lot of history - but bottom line is that Intel is still stuck on a "centralized CPU" model - and this view is based on 2 things: the left-over view that the CPU MUST DO EVERYTHING, and because they are a CPU company .... they fear letting the CPU becoming marginalized or diluted. But lets face it - new OS's and apps are doing more and requiring more specialized resources. Video - audio - and IO needs will grow every year. And since modern OS's and Apps have under-pinnings that play well and hide complexity from the user --- the future of computing IMHO is a more specialized and distributed PC architecture. Yes lots of cores in the main CPU (for running multiple concurrent OS sessions) -- but a mother board should also have company's ABC GPU and companies XYZ IO processor ------ thus off loading the main CPU from these tasks and more importantyl resulting in greater overall performance / thruput. And yes a future system might also automatically adapt its "cores" for the task(s) its doing. A universal core model could be just a "black-box" specification ... company ABC add value by making the core contents + driver stack superior to its competitors .................. I'm no longer in the game - but I love to watch the wheels go round and round
Or .... how we got here
As a developer in R+D at Intel thu the 90's and into 2003 I was privledged to watch the PC grow up. Like some I can remember DOS 6.x and Windows 3.1 ---- and the joy of spend hours getting new HW to work ( IRQs etc.) Both Intel and MSFT wanted the PC to gain market share. Microsoft pursued Win95 - 98 ---- XP --- along the way working with Intel (and the industry) to get true plug-n-play working etc.
Intel took a 2 pronged path: develop and design their own chipsets (a good thing), and make the CPU do EVERYTHING. This was the mantra in the 90's and up until I left. The CPU must do everything !!! This was seen as a way to get out of driver / IRQ hell. You see by having the CPU (along with a chipset feature) handle audio you've eliminated the need for a sound card and customer complaints - and the "perception" the PC is crap. THE CPU MUST DO EVERYTHING !!! Soon CPU+chipset graphics came to be ... MHz sprialed up to handle the growing CPU workloads and supporting MSFTs bloatware and GUI. Then the GHz wars were on ....
But I have to give MSFT credit for refining plug-n-play - APIs - HALs - etc (Linux and OSX have done the same) -- the key here OS's and Apps now easily handle drivers - interrupt mapping - etc. Yet Intel continues to put all the computing marbles in the CPU ---- leading to bottle necks - thermal / power build-ups - etc. The time is coming where we need to "distribute" processing power. Yes we still need a central CPU for overseeing the system -- but we can also use a dedicated GPU --- and an IO processor. Such an arrangment not only helps to distribute the computing load -- it also disperses the thermal and power load .... no mega-hot-spots of a CPU DOING EVERYTHING. Sounds to me like AMD is moving to a notion of "universal" cores -- could be a first step towards a new architecture ----- who knows ----- but from my point of view the primary CPU should be handling key OS tasks and monitoring security and platform health ... not pumping out GFX cycles or audio effects etc.
All very true - our bodies have been "bathed" in natural sources of Electromagnetic Waves (EM) since the dawn of time and since he advent of radio and TV this has only increased. I sit here with EM waves from terrestial sources (radio etc.) - galactic sources - and my own local Wifi. I feel fine !!!!! Now if you crank up the "power" of the EM sources really high - or stand right next to the signal emitter some damage could occur. Now if you really want some peace and quiet -- you need to build a room sealed with 1/8" copper plate covering all surfaces - soldered together -- then ground it with a iron rod driven 6ft into the ground. Ahhhhhh peace and quiet from the EM storm. I think the school needs to hold double-blind studies with "fake" WiFi in some roomds real WiFi in others ---- lets get all science about it
When working at one of Intels newer R+D campuses I purchased 2 of those squishy "stress balls" made up of a laytex balloon filled with sand. One went into my office (8x9 cube) the other went home - niether got used --- too busy :) After 9 months the stress ball in my office (while untouched) looked like it had been through a tour of Iraq ---- the stress ball at home looked basically brand new.
That told me there was something wrong - really wrong with the whole "environment"
I'm now making a lot less working as a Technology Facilitator at a large local high school - low stress - I share a large office with a couple technology teachers .... and have a window I can actually open. The kids are a kick as well.
As an ex-Intel developer I've had first hand experience "trying" to develop new form factors - new looks - "new excitement" for the PC industry. Back in '99 whne the defacto PC was a full ATX tower running a Pentium III and making 45dB in noise. We designed a radical pyramid shaped legacy-free PC (only USB, Firewire, LAN, VGA) that would fit on a mouse pad ad produced only 37dB in noise. It was an experiment in shock therapy for the PC industry. We went on to do many others - but the bottom line is the PC is what it is because of strict standards ... standards for each and every component from shape of motherboard to cases and screws. This is one of te reasons PCs can be built so cheaply -- think cookie cutter to the nth degree.
Our work on form factors really went no-where as both the industry AND consumers are hooked on cheap PCs (cost cost cost). In the end we did manage to influence acoustics - ergonomics - and a slight reduction in size for some PCs. But all along my overall major issue was that the "real user experience" is more than color and plastic ... its the OS that you interact with - its useability / intuitiveness / stability / and security. Making a PC blue and silver does not cover up the warts that XP sprouts on the screen and the user experience. In the end - the data plainly indicated that what users really wanted was a PC that just *%$#(@ works !!! Clearly indicating major issues with XP (complexity to basic security to stability). Of course such things (stability - security) are boring ... they don't have the pizzaz of "Aero windows" or what ever else is in Vista.
I type this comment on my G5 iMac -- it has a small foot-print - quiet - and OS X just works (stable & secure). It costs more than a PC - but then its not a PC - thats the point. It sits next to my custom built Pentium 4 PC (quiet and power efficient) in a standard mico-ATX case running Ubuntu Linux - it just works and its stable and secure. Both can create compatible documents to share with the "XP world" - thats all that matters.
The "standard PC" will continue to evolve based on advances in CPUs & highly integrated chips / memory / hard drives. But cost is the primary driver for the masses be they businesses or individuals. Most importantly the true "user experience" of the OS is perhaps coming to point of change -- Vista - OS X - Linux - Google OS(?). In the very near future you will be able to run multiple OS's concurrently -- couple that with a hot pink PC and you just might be on to something .....