Anyone care to guess what computers will be like in 25 years’ time? In 50?
I imagine the computer will have become an “information wall” – flatscreen monitor covering a big area, voice-activated. As well as performing today’s computer functions, it will be your TV/radio, newspaper, telephone (videophone) and mailbox. These are the obvious things. We’re starting to do all of them now. But we probably wouldn’t have predicted any of them 25 years ago. So what else will they do?

What do you think is going to happen to Microsoft in the next 10 years? What about the next 5? I would not be the least bit surprised if they turn to some sort of system where they charge $40 a month for the use of Microsoft Windows and various other Microsoft programs that are included. I wouldn't doubt for a minute that all Microsoft programs could become a leasing type of format. This would leave private homes and small businesses in the dumps, but hey, since when does Microsoft do something that is beneficial to the customer? Linux has a large foot in the door and is gaining ground in becoming a more popular system. Could this be the way to go? But then what happens to games designed specifically for Microsoft, what about other periphreals? Sure..some tweaking on each could result in a working product, but not everyone can do that. Just my two cents. Anyone else agree? Or differ? What do you think?

Gates has been going along all these years eeking out a decent living by selling his software to new PC owners and others in a retail setting. I don't think that would be occurring if someother way was better. He would have directed his efforts differently if this was the case. It makes for good conversation, but I think that software (Windows) will remain a single purchase item and not a lease or per use fee as far as system software goes.

Per use or leasing use would create a monsterous employee load to handle the sales and billing information and still more people to deal with collections and refunds. All this for something that is sold as a single purchase item. KaChing!!No user id code, no play. KaChing!!I think Bill has it pretty much the way he wants it. KaChing!!He has billions of things to support the idea that this is a good marketing strategy.KA (well,... you get the idea)

I've tried Linux, it was OK. I've also tried the Mac, also just OK. Windows is here to stay. I think it will just evolve with the PC over time. I don't think there will ever be a real threat of any other operating systems bumping Windows off of it's pedestal. It may have gotten where it is through monopoly, but when it comes right down to it, it really is the best thing out there and is only getting better.

As far as the computer goes, it's amazing what they can do in just five years time. When I think about what's sitting on my desktop today, and compare it with my first computer 12 years ago, an old Tandy 1000. It had a whopping 256k ram, no hard drive, a 1200 baud modem and my monitor was a TV set. Instead of logging onto the internet I would log onto Prodigy

Now, 12 years later I have a screaming 800 mhz and a permanent high speed connection to the internet.

I'm waiting for computer implants my self, that way I could have my computer directly connected to my brain and not have to use a lousy keyboard, mouse and monitor anymore

[This message was edited by billmasters on 08-17-02 at 02:56 AM.]

Yes, the increases in processor performance has been staggering. I remember back in 85 when some youngster named Dell told me he could build me a IBM PC compatible with 640k ram and deliver it for $750 bucks. At the time IBM PC's retailed for about $4,000.00.

Back then about all anybody did with PC's was, word processing, spreadsheet apps, and database apps. Now, people do, word processing, spreadsheet, and database apps - ummmmm sounds familiar. Of course they all look cooler, and some will call them more "user friendly" but to a great extent; for all the processor advances - computers fill very similar needs.

OK, some wiz bang graphics presentation stuff has been developed, but the only major application change for pc's in over a decade has been how they're used on the internet. Oddly enough, the only software arena that's not dominated by Windows. For the most part, Microsoft server, database, and scripting apps suck compared to those offered by the Open Source community and Sun. They've continually played catch-up with Apache, Mysql, Java, PHP, Python, Perl, etc.

Yeah, I'm sure windows will be around for a long time but.. consider that the new MAC OSX is unix based, the majority of internet server OS's are unix, or linux based, it's likely that many MAC apps will be ported to linux, and many win98 apps won't run on XP. It's possible that XP could find itself to be "odd man out" in a few years rather than "king of the Hill"