For the record, this is not the first place I am posting this. However, I think that it does contain some important points that relate to computing technology...and I will be referring to this article again in a later post.
This article was written on or around March 22, 2007.
Computers were once thought to make everyone’s life easier and more enjoyable. It certainly has done that – computers are now used to write letters, watch movies, and even play games. As computing technology evolved, it dramatically changed other markets, such as communication and home entertainment. Therefore, it is very ironic that these very markets are now in a position to squeeze the home computer into oblivion. Entertainment systems, communication devices, and the Internet are now in a position to make the average home computer obsolete.
As one of the few Mac users during the mid-1990s, I confess that I was somewhat jealous of PC users and their games. I played graphically intensive games like Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? and a variety of Hypercard-based games, while my PC counterparts were enjoying Heroes of Might & Magic or Command & Conquer. Today, however, PC gaming is becoming a niche market. With few exceptions (ie World of Warcraft), gaming is now done in front of the television – with either a Nintendo, Microsoft, or Sony-made gaming console. These consoles provide more than adequate graphics and guaranteed compatibility. If I have a gaming console for entertainment, why do I need a computer to do the same?
Communication has also dramatically changed with the computer – especially the rise of the Internet. However, the computer is hardly the only way to reach all of that information. Mobile computing platforms, such as RIM’s Blackberry series, the Palm Treo, and Apple’s soon-to-be-released iPhone, are growing in popularity – especially among the business crowd. In addition to acting as a phone, these devices can be used to check and send e-mail, surf the Internet, and even modify Word & Excel files. Granted, working on these small devices for excessive periods of time can be a bit cumbersome, but the Treo is essentially a mouse, keyboard, and monitor away from replacing the computer.
The ability to store a wide variety of data has been one of the reasons the computer has been so successful. However, the home computer lacks a good method for making this data accessible all the time. While flash drives and file e-mails are adequate for moving documents, they fail to allow re-synchronization of documents if changes are made away from the home computer. This is what makes online applications, such as Google’s ‘Writely’ and Spreadsheet, look so attractive. As such, the computer is no longer needed to store documents.
So, if the computer isn’t being used for gaming and entertainment, it’s not needed for e-mail and web browsing, and document editing and storage can be done online…what do I need my computer for? In short…nothing!
In the next decade or so, the personal computer (as we know it) could easily be replaced with a thin client ‘computer’, or equivalent technology, and a broadband connection to the Internet. Imagine plugging your Treo into a monitor, keyboard and mouse. A couple clicks and you’re on the Internet, streaming music while working on web applications and talking with friends. Then, if you need to leave, simply pick up your handheld device and go; your documents are stored on the web, accessible from almost anywhere.
So, take a second to give your computer a great big hug. You might not need it in the next few years.
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