Linked by Joshua Boyles on Mon 9th Jun 2003 16:45 UTC
This entire article is written as a proposal to a coprporation for a new, very unique computing system. Please offer criticism and suggestions to improve the system, and tell me whether you think it could work. What exactly is the "Edge Computing System" And more importantly, why would I want to go to the trouble of developing it? The Edge Computing System is just that, an entire system, not just a new type of computer or new software suite. The Edge is the means by which you can have your personal computer with you at all times.
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Fine idea.
It won't work.
Here's the problem.
The problem is simply that it's a closed system. It has to be, otherwise it doesn't work.
By closed system I mean simply that there is a one entity at the top of the totem pole that controls the entire thing.
In order for the utopia of total portablility to be fruitful, you have to control any aspect that affects that portability. One significant aspect that affects that is simply features in the software. If I need to update that presentation at the hotel, the hotels software better be completely compatable with my presentation data.
Could it be? Sure, but recall that the primary way that developers distinguish their software is through features, program flow and integration. If everything is based on a Lowest Common Denominator feature set, then there is little motivation to improve the toolset? And who decides when an feature can be added in later?
Simple example with the presentation software. Consider that the software that developed the presentation may have had some snappy transistion that the hotels software didn't support, or even the final desitinations software.
Today, what you want pretty much exists. With something like the Java Citrix client running in a web browser, you can practically access a rich centralized computing experience from just about anywhere. It wouldn't surprise me if you could do it from those airport internet terminals.
As long as you have an open system, you're going to have incompatabilities. And you must have an open system to attract developers and users.
Microsoft is in the perfect position to really break through on something like this. Selling an annual subscription to office applications accessible through terminal services, and having a fast, downloadable, lightweight client so when someone shows up at a Internet Cafe, a friends office, a Kinkos, or whatever, they can simply install the client and connect to a MS server that had all of their data and applications, from anywhere on the planet.
Most people don't have this need though. They're content managing the entire process themselves.