Re: PC--What is it good for?

On Dec 9, 11:03 am, "Ken from Chicago" <kwicker1b_nos...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:
> By PC I mean "personal computer", be it Windows OS, Mac OS, Linux OS or
even
> Amiga OS, what are personal computers good for? Considering the backlash
> against Windows Vista, I was wondering, what's the point? Aside from
> increased security, there seemed to be little reason to upgrade other
than
> semi-transparent window interfaces, that 3d task windows interface and
video
> wallpaper. Four gigs of ram for that? What's the point? And then I
> considered the question more generally:
>
> Long a stable of science fiction, yet what's left conceptually and
> pragmatically for home or personal computers to do? should do?

I think you mean staple.

Theres a lot that could still be done with security, reliability, and
HCI ("user friendliness").  It would be a paradigm ****ft if the
proverbial Grandmother could pick up a fully functional computer,
learn how to use it, AND maintain it.

I can't think of much which could be done but hasn't.  On the other
hand, SF is often concerned more with the societal impact of
technology than its general capability.  If only a few geeks use a
particular feature, its not very interesting unless its part of a plot
for world domination.

I think the social Internet is still due a revision or two.  If you
look at the current fads e.g. Facebook & Youtube, much of the
communication is quite facile, and the channels which might be used
for less facile communication aren't sup****ted consistently.

I'm thinking in particular of "comments" on Youtube, which look like
what you'd get if you took newsgroups and eliminated every scrap of
intelligent conversation, and the abysmal sup****t for email
notifications of Facebook messages.  The social internet started with
email and newsgroups; I can understand why separate systems with
reduced functionality became popular but I don't have to like it.

In another ten years you'll still recognize the desktop PC's and what
they can do, but with luck you'll still be surprised at what people do
with them.