Re: A Challenge to all takers...

["Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com>]

Donald C. Lee wrote:
> heuser.marcus@freenet.de wrote:
>
> > You can probably build a computer, especially if you reduce its
> > functionality (limited interface options, only one RAM-type etc.) but:
> >
> > Who will write software for it?
> >
> > Who writes the BIOS, the OS (preemptive multitasking of course...), the
> > hardware drivers, the programming languages
> >
> > Who writes applications? Mail & news. Webbrowsing. Utilities. To name
> > only a few essential
> >
> > What about games? Can they really compete with modern games on the PC
> > or will we see the usual assortment of Tetris, Minefield & Breakout?
> >
> > And what about backward compatibility? I can see the people forming a
> > lynchmob because they want nearly complete (*insert your favourite
> > machine here*)-compatibility/emulation.
> >
> > So where are the armies of programmers that actually want to spend
> > money and/or time on a system which does not have commercial relevance?
> >
> > When I see what happens with the Power-Amiga platform I can guess how
> > much success it would have - though they already have a clean & modern
> > hardware and a multitasking OS.
> >
> > Sorry for being pessimistic.
> This thread about creating a new computer is nice, but brings up an
> interesting question in my head:
>
> What happened to the days of having many computer choices at home? these
> days, it's Windows, Windows, Windows, Mac.
>
> I guess I must have sleptwalk through the 90's when the Amiga, Atari
> 520ST, etc, etc all went through the home market but eventually failed.
>    Why did they fail where the PC's thrived and now practically own the
> whole market?
>
> If this were the 80's, you could probably find a ton of people to build
> a new computer, write code and software.  Unfortunately, we're in the
> days of Windows and any company daring to try to break into the computer
> market would probably need mucho bucks just to even try to compete.

It is simply a barrier to entry problem.

The functionality of the huge stable of PC (and, to a much lesser
extent, Mac) software would have to be duplicated on a new general
purpose platform to make it competitive--and that isn't going to
happen.

So the only practical alternative for any new platform (even if
introduced by Intel/Microsoft) is to be fully compatible with all
the existing software, while offering some great new thing that
will make software manufacturers want to support it, and users
want to buy it.

That is not easy to do at a price that people are willing to pay.

-michael

New Applesoft BASIC interface for NadaNet networking!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/