The only chance of beating my desktop a mobile device would have is when it's equally priced, transportable, but can be quickly and easily "docked" in so I can use my real screens, keyboard, mouse and speakers.
With USB, that's theoretically possible. Also, remember cell phones initially had the same issues. And look at how far they've come in the last 20 years.
With cloud computing and the massive proliferation of the Internet, and wireless networking, it seems we're moving back to the old terminal/server model for computing, albeit on a larger scale. If all your apps are run in a web browser, there's no need for high powered hardware, thereby making it less expensive for the end user. The only advantage desktops ever had was higher power than your average laptop, and less expensive. That's changed quite a bit in the last couple of years, and now you can buy a $300 laptop that is perfectly adequate for doing what most users use their computers for. About the only thing desktops are really good for anymore is high powered gaming rigs. And eventually even that is going to change. I fear the desktop is going to go the way of the old landline wall telephone. Some people will hold onto them, but by and large the population is going to all end up with laptops and netbooks.
I really don't have a problem with this. We've already been to the moon several times and have found that it is, in fact, a giant rock. I really see no reason to go there again without some kind of purpose in mind. For example, constructing some kind of permanent base there.
I have more trust in Google than I do the the United States government.
And this right here is the problem. When a for profit corporation engenders more trust than our supposedly representative government. Anyone else see a problem with this?
M$ still thinks that they own every PC in the world. It doesn't matter if it even runs Windows or not. They've demonstrated this time and time again. Anyone remember the Suse linux controversy a couple years back? They still haven't gotten the idea through their corporate heads that the end user has a choice now on what to do with their system. Lets say you buy a computer with windows pre-installed. They pretty much say now that by even opening the box you agree to their EULA. Even if the first time you boot is solely to pop open the DVD drive to put in a Linux install CD. Last comp i bought didn't even have a initial "You officially sign your life and your computer over to us" dialog come up. And you know how they supposedly give refunds on the windows tax to ppl who never use it. Good luck on that one. M$ is still the same bully they always were, they just try to put a nice face on it from time to time.
If i ever get a chance to interview an M$ executive, I'm going to ask if they feel that they have any rights to a comp that was built by me from parts, and had slackware installed as the only OS from the beginning. I think their response would show everyone exactly how they feel. Hell, anything other than a straight "No" would show their true colors.
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The only chance of beating my desktop a mobile device would have is when it's equally priced, transportable, but can be quickly and easily "docked" in so I can use my real screens, keyboard, mouse and speakers.
With USB, that's theoretically possible. Also, remember cell phones initially had the same issues. And look at how far they've come in the last 20 years.
With cloud computing and the massive proliferation of the Internet, and wireless networking, it seems we're moving back to the old terminal/server model for computing, albeit on a larger scale. If all your apps are run in a web browser, there's no need for high powered hardware, thereby making it less expensive for the end user. The only advantage desktops ever had was higher power than your average laptop, and less expensive. That's changed quite a bit in the last couple of years, and now you can buy a $300 laptop that is perfectly adequate for doing what most users use their computers for. About the only thing desktops are really good for anymore is high powered gaming rigs. And eventually even that is going to change. I fear the desktop is going to go the way of the old landline wall telephone. Some people will hold onto them, but by and large the population is going to all end up with laptops and netbooks.
I really don't have a problem with this. We've already been to the moon several times and have found that it is, in fact, a giant rock. I really see no reason to go there again without some kind of purpose in mind. For example, constructing some kind of permanent base there.
I have more trust in Google than I do the the United States government.
And this right here is the problem. When a for profit corporation engenders more trust than our supposedly representative government. Anyone else see a problem with this?
M$ still thinks that they own every PC in the world. It doesn't matter if it even runs Windows or not. They've demonstrated this time and time again. Anyone remember the Suse linux controversy a couple years back? They still haven't gotten the idea through their corporate heads that the end user has a choice now on what to do with their system. Lets say you buy a computer with windows pre-installed. They pretty much say now that by even opening the box you agree to their EULA. Even if the first time you boot is solely to pop open the DVD drive to put in a Linux install CD. Last comp i bought didn't even have a initial "You officially sign your life and your computer over to us" dialog come up. And you know how they supposedly give refunds on the windows tax to ppl who never use it. Good luck on that one. M$ is still the same bully they always were, they just try to put a nice face on it from time to time.
If i ever get a chance to interview an M$ executive, I'm going to ask if they feel that they have any rights to a comp that was built by me from parts, and had slackware installed as the only OS from the beginning. I think their response would show everyone exactly how they feel. Hell, anything other than a straight "No" would show their true colors.
Damn you Opera! If you hadn't invented tabbed browsing, none of this would have happened!!