06.07.07
Late To The Party
I realize this is close to a week old news, but I’m just now watching the Bill Gates and Steve Jobs interview at D5 (iTunes Link), and there’s something that they said that struck me. The conversation turned to whether or not the Web 2.0 paradigm (thin-client, service-oriented applications) would naturally obsolesce the traditional business models of both Apple and Microsoft. Myself, I’ve constantly heard rumors that there will eventually be only a browser and that Google was developing a network-based operating system.
Let me state this perfectly clearly. The browser is not and can never be an operating system. The whole reason we’re using personal computers these days is because they’re Personal Computers. We do not need to connect to a centralized, big-iron mainframe, because that processing capability is local. As much as I want to say that the browser is the wave of the future– mostly because it’s kind of what I do for a living– I know for a fact that it’s patently not true.
Steve and Bill both agreed that the real benefit that came out of the Apple-MS rivalry was a diversification in what a computer is and could do. Both companies branched out from just general-purpose computers and developed some damn good hardware of their own that is specialized to a specific purpose (iPod and to a lesser extent iPhone, and the MS Sidewinder line and their mice). Both companies are heavily focused and invested in the idea of a local machine doing the majority of the work, and for a personal computer that’s the way it should be. For large-scale information-retrieval systems and data collection/distribution systems, mostly the kinds of things that I do, you need it to work on a thin-client level.
There is never, never a single solution to all computer problems. Despite my fanboyishness, a Mac cannot do everything well; a Windows box, likewise, cannot do everything well. What they do do well, they are exceptional at, and what they’re evenly matched on is still good enough to let it be a matter of taste. The two companies need to be complementary, not strictly competitive.
Anyway. I got a little bit accomplished this evening, and things are progressing nicely on another project. I’ll keep you all informed.
Ramen Junkie said,
06.07.07 at 8:41 pm
I don’t know about the future nessesity of a personal computer as a personal space. I suppose the idea of “Some Huge Companyin Cyberspace” handing all my files is a bit daunting but I like the idea of getting to my files anywhere and I’ve been meaning to start using Google Docs over MS Word more and more.
Still it does require an internet connection but that is quickly becomming an “everywhere” thing. Phones, PDAs Laptops with dedicated wireless cards that work over cell networks. The advent of WiFi that’s essentially available anywhere is comming soon. That lack of the internet won’t be a problem forever. At the same time I have a USB Flash drive with a Portable Aps suit installed on it. I can run Open Office with or without a PC. IT’s essentially the same idea and it’s slightly more convenient (aside from Portable Aps running slow as shit).
I do see Microsoft slipping a bit. Not a huge amount mind you but it’s starting. Google is becomming more and more of a powerhouse ever day. So is Mac. The iPhone is a good strong push towards the future of computing. I’ve been generally against the whole idea of a cell phone as a PDA/computer tool but I’m actually really excited about the iPhone (aside fromt he price).
As for MS. Where is Vista? There was a huge push when it was released but I havn’t heard ANYTHING about it since. No one using it, no one even caring that it exists. I don’t have any desire to use it myself though mostly due to it’s supposedly strict built in DRM garbage. I’m actually thinking of dual booting Ubuntu on my home PC. Good security for the kids using the PC if I ever convert to it fully. That’s half my gripe with XP at the moment. I can’t set the kid’s user accounts to a middle ground secirity setting. It seems ot be either all or nothing.