4 ms·
> Most computers in the world don't need the ability to have their operating system changed or run custom user built software. That's not true? Nearly every la
by yjftsjthsd-h 8mo ago
> Most computers in the world don't need the ability to have their operating system changed or run custom user built software.
That's not true? Nearly every laptop, desktop, and server can trivially run whatever OS+software, of course, but also currently at least virtually all Android devices can run arbitrary user built/supplied software (I grant that, unfortunately, replacing the OS is often harder). Embedded stuff varies, but frequently anything capable of running a general purpose OS (which IMHO is generally the line to call it a "computer") can have it replaced.
- charcircuit 8mo agoBeing able to play Doom on a microwave has novelty because microwave manufacturers don't support running random software on their microwaves since they are optimizing the product to be a microwave.
- yjftsjthsd-h 8mo agoAs I said, >> Embedded stuff varies, but frequently anything capable of running a general purpose OS (which IMHO is generally the line to call it a "computer") can have it replaced. A microwave isn't generally viewed as a computer. In particular, if not even the manufacturer isn't running arbitrary code on it (only a tiny little program to do... microwave stuff...) then I view it as out of scope to an argument about artificially-restricted computers.