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Network Computers
Some one (Michael Manning?) asked about Network Computers earlier in the
semester. Here are two interesting (and somewhat conflicting) briefs with
references to NCs from Edupage.
From: Edupage Editors <educom@educom.unc.edu>
INTEL WILL DEVELOP NC
Intel plans to develop its own version of a low-cost (below $500) network
computer, which will be able to use several different operating systems,
including Microsoft's Windows CE, IBM's Workspace on Demand, Citrix's
Winframe, Novell's NetWare, two programs from Oracle's Network Computer Inc.
affiliate, and Unix-based software from Santa Cruz Operation Inc. The
machines will be powered by Intel's original Pentium microprocessor, and
will retrieve data and applications programs from servers running on Pentium
II or Pentium Pro chips. "It's an Intel solution from one end of the
network to the other," says an Intel VP. (Wall Street Journal 3 Dec 97)
NCs: NOT READY-FOR-PRIMETIME?
A new study by the Gartner Group says that despite all the hype surrounding
network computers, businesses are not yet ready to adopt them, primarily
because most corporate networks will need significant upgrading and
increased maintenance to accommodate NCs. "Everyone was talking about
computing and nobody was looking at the network," says one of the study's
authors. "Who cares if the desktop is cheap if the network is expensive?"
According to "Network Computing: The Rest of the Story," few companies have
any idea how much money it will take to increase the bandwidth and add more
network support staff to successfully maintain an NC network. "Vendors say
there will be plenty of bandwidth. I just don't see that in the next five
years." (TechWeb 3 Dec 97)