I think some on here (that are just saying my Amiga or TRS-80 can already do that) may be missing the greater point even though they're not necessarily wrong.

I think some on here (that are just saying my Amiga or TRS-80 can already do that) may be missing the greater point even though they're not necessarily wrong. I don't think the author is just talking about the computer, but kick-starting an entirely new movement from like-minded folks. 1.) This would of course need to include a pretty simple computer that has parts which could be replaced for decades. I'm thinking about something as potentially simple as a C64, but without all of the video chip stuff. Maybe closer to Ben Eater's computer, but a step up. 2.) This will need the right amount of peripherals. At minimum I think you'd need to be able to interact with an SD card, keyboard, e-ink display, battery, and the internet. I'm sure you may need something else as well. SD card isn't a requirement though. Maybe something else that is simpler, but still functional could work? 3.) This will need the right amount of software. Obviously Linux is out as an OS unless it is massively stripped down. If the hardware is as restrictive as a C64 or worse, then you'd have to do something very simple that is hardly an OS. I think a Forth layer over the hardware would be perfect. It would have some basic functionality as well as some applications like a very simple text editor, BBS, some kind of way to do text only web pages (not a web guy, so no clue if this would work), and maybe perform simple calculations. The original iOS from the Rebol guy (Carl Sassenrath, not Apple) had this interesting concept of sharing code over the internet. The core would be incredibly simple, but people could always add on whatever they wanted. I'll add that I often think about getting to use a computer like this for everything not work related. There are some interesting ideas out there showing what computers could have been.