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Re: If you could design a $300 homecomputer today, what would you choose?
- Subject: Re: If you could design a $300 homecomputer today, what would you choose?
- From: David Ogg <davidogg@nc.rr.com>
- Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 03:24:22 GMT
- Newsgroups: alt.amiga, comp.sys.amiga.advocacy, comp.sys.amstrad.8bit, comp.sys.apple2, comp.sys.atari.8bit, comp.sys.atari.advocacy, comp.sys.atari.st, comp.sys.cbm, comp.sys.sinclair
- Organization: Road Runner - NC
- References: <9ikva3$ple$1@nereid.worldonline.nl>
- Xref: archiver1.google.com alt.amiga:1465 comp.sys.amiga.advocacy:21692 comp.sys.amstrad.8bit:3562 comp.sys.apple2:10478 comp.sys.atari.8bit:6752 comp.sys.atari.advocacy:528 comp.sys.atari.st:13866 comp.sys.cbm:18051 comp.sys.sinclair:44562
In article <9ikva3$ple$1@nereid.worldonline.nl>, thomas@-nospam-
worldonline.nl says...
> For the sake of argument let's suppose you could design a next generation
> $300 homecomputer. The goal is to make a userfriendly machine for general
> use and for hobbyists. How would such a system look?
hmmm... I think "Next Generation" and "$300 Home computer" are
diabolically opposed.
> CPU? (P.S Intel and AMD are out, far too expensive and powerhungry for this
> type of thing, you should be looking at the $20-35 level)
AMD Duron 700MHz, 24 bucks. Powerhungry? who cares, I have a wall
socket.
> As OS? (Linux is a dead giveaway, but there also other OS's out there)
Optional, included OS's are evil.
> Build in programming language? (please choose anything but Basic!)
"Next Generation" and "built - in" are diabolically opposed, why plan
for obsolescence? (and what's wrong with Basic?)
> Amount of memory? (RAM and ROM)
256MB PC133CAS2, a whopping $50. To hell with ROM, ROM only seals the
fate of the shortsighted. Anything "Next Generation" should have no ROM,
hell, even the BIOS is going the way of the dodo.
> Graphic and Sound?
um, yes. ;)
> Network capabilities? (internet capable)
yes.
> Plug in capabilities (remember you're making it as cheap as possible so
> modems, CD-Roms, HD's are all extras)
It's cheaper if they're NOT extra's.
> Video (TV? or Monitor?)
Grown men don't find sitting indian style on the floor in front of the
family TV acceptable. Monitor, please.
> Remember that the RETAIL price should be $300, so think in wholesale prices.
> The real costs should below $200 or even below the $150 level. You may
> presume that a million units would be manufactured so take volume discounts
> for components into account
Why $300? If I want "Next Generation", I'm ready to pay for it. I'd
rather pay $3G for a useable PC than waste $300 on something crippled to
"cut corners" that doesn't do what I want. Money is /hardly/ an entry
barrier these days.
> Let's see what sort of systems people come up with.
While interesting, the "Next Generation" PC will hardly be revolutionary
because of its hardware or its cost. Both those barriers are /hardly/
barriers any more. The area society would most benefit is computer
science research, Operating Systems and User Interface design are what
will make something "Next Generation", not cheap hardware or retail
price.