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

[wbdesnoy@acs5.acs.ucalgary.ca (Byron Desnoyers Winmill)]

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.

: Saying it short: fit it to the typical living room equipment, close to the TV.
: Prepare for all kinds of computer periphals and home equipment (coffee-maker,
: fridge ...). Integrate phone, fax, mail, sms.

Integrating too much stuff in one device can complicate the life of users.
So, while a fax/mail/phone device may simplify communications, and a DVD/CD
device may simplify entertainment (particularly given the physical similarity
of the media), a DVD/CD/fax/mail/phone device is going to present too many
dissimilar options to the user.  IMHO, that is one of the reasons modern
computers are not very easy to use.  Better to use the old stuff, where the
computers did computerish things (interactive entertainment, or content
creation).

Byron.