3 ms·

This is where I see the operating system going: a combo of carrying something with you for physical authorization and dumb terminals that load whatever you need

by marquis 15y ago

This is where I see the operating system going: a combo of carrying something with you for physical authorization and dumb terminals that load whatever you need, where you need (whether from the net or you've got it with you on a device). Exciting times to see something like this.

mhd 15y ago
If something like that would be common enough, I bet we'd get something like phone booths again, providing better in- and output (large screen, camera) plus privacy.
cwilson 15y ago
While I 100% support that idea (because it's awesome), I somehow doubt the mainstream would use something like this. If you don't believe me, go explain this to your parents or someone who doesn't read tech blogs, and let us know how that conversation goes.
timwiseman 15y ago
I think there would definitely be a market for something like that (I want this USB stick for instance), but I don't think operating systems as a whole are going in that way. Even with the rise of the Cloud, there are a lot of things that for various reasons are best handled by at least a fat client if not a full-blown PC with its own OS and processing power.
- marquis 15y ago
  Sure, right now. But I've stopped lugging my laptop around when visiting friends or offices, because on the browser I have gmail, text editors, gdocs, ssh terminals .. almost everything I do outside of media editing I can do anywhere as long as I have my access credentials with me (thanks dropbox) and the internet. I think there'll be a place for a long time for dedicated professional machines - just like there's a place for dedicated servers but many services run great on a VPS. While we'll carry laptops/netbooks with us for some time to come I won't be surprised the day my kids come home with something that doesn't require ownership of their very own hardware, just some kind of authorization module. I'm sure many of us have been in the position before when an emergency comes up and you ssh in remotely. All I really need to work is a smartphone, screen and input device and I'm comfortably working anywhere.

by marquis 15y ago

mhd 15y ago

If something like that would be common enough, I bet we'd get something like phone booths again, providing better in- and output (large screen, camera) plus privacy.

cwilson 15y ago

While I 100% support that idea (because it's awesome), I somehow doubt the mainstream would use something like this. If you don't believe me, go explain this to your parents or someone who doesn't read tech blogs, and let us know how that conversation goes.

timwiseman 15y ago

I think there would definitely be a market for something like that (I want this USB stick for instance), but I don't think operating systems as a whole are going in that way. Even with the rise of the Cloud, there are a lot of things that for various reasons are best handled by at least a fat client if not a full-blown PC with its own OS and processing power.

marquis 15y ago
Sure, right now. But I've stopped lugging my laptop around when visiting friends or offices, because on the browser I have gmail, text editors, gdocs, ssh terminals .. almost everything I do outside of media editing I can do anywhere as long as I have my access credentials with me (thanks dropbox) and the internet. I think there'll be a place for a long time for dedicated professional machines - just like there's a place for dedicated servers but many services run great on a VPS. While we'll carry laptops/netbooks with us for some time to come I won't be surprised the day my kids come home with something that doesn't require ownership of their very own hardware, just some kind of authorization module. I'm sure many of us have been in the position before when an emergency comes up and you ssh in remotely. All I really need to work is a smartphone, screen and input device and I'm comfortably working anywhere.