Re: If you could design a $300 homecomputer today, what would you

[Stephen Shaw <xstephenx@apple2.org.za>]

On 18 Jul 2001 18:41:16 GMT, Byron Desnoyers Winmill wrote:

> helgetu (h.schaefer@tu-bs.de) wrote:
>: What might be the purpose of this $300 machine?
>
> It was originally targeted for computer hobbiests.  Given the groups we are
> posting to, it would share some of the characteristics of the 8 and 16 bit
> machines of the 80's, or would suit the tastes of the current users of
> these machines.
>
> I was thinking of something easy enough for an amateur to understand the
> electronics, and low level programmaming of the device.  (My view is that
> modern machines are too complex and too poorly documented to fit this
> market.)
>
>: By what features might it be sold? (What is the difference to existing
systems
>
>: ranging from gaming consoles to standard PC?)
>
> Any computer would have to be differentiated from current PCs, game
> consoles, and PDAs in a *significant* way.  It would be next to impossible
> to compete in the present computer/entertaiment industry with a product
> which the big guys view as viable.
>
>: it has to be userfriendly - that thing must be some sort of
>: plug-it-in-and-there-you-go...
>
> User friendly is a very vague notion, because what is obvious for one user,
> will appear to be counter intuitive to another.  Particularly so if you are
> attempting to differentiate yourself from current products.  Also, there
> are different levels of user friendliness: easy to learn, vs. easy to use;
> also, I view current systems as being difficult to program (too much so if
> you are not a professional programmer).  Older systems were much better in
> this respect.  As an example: it was easier to put graphics on the screen
> in the olden days.  With the Apple II you simply switched to the
> appropriate video mode, then drew lines or pixels.  There was no windowing
> system, or complex event manager, to mess with.  On modern systems, you
> need to obtain special tools (such as ghostscript) to create programs
> incorporating graphics -- in any reasonable manner.
>
>: Concerning  the OS I am not sure if something capable of what I am thinking
>: already exist: the GUI must be designed the way that even the unexperienced
>: generation of my parents (~ 60 years) will be able to use it from the
>: beginning:
>
> A nobel idea.  It is not the suggested market, but you certainly have ideas
> worth exploring.

That's noble. Nobel was a man who invented dynamite. Useful for blowing up
Wintel devices :-)

<snip>


-- 
Sattingers Law : It works better if you plug it in.