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rik5
join:2008-05-25
Vanier, ON

rik5

Member

[Rant] It's NOT the PC that is dead ?

I thought this "should" be in "All Things Unix", or,.., ? but hey, whatever.
It's not the PC that is dead, it is just metamorphisizing, it's the "Internet" that, we used to know, that is "dying".
From proprietary(Corp-owned) "cloud-computing" to all these proprietary hand-held devices,..
The Corporation(s), and gov't want complete and utter control over the Internet, that the future user is going to see.
Is that freedom for the User ? -No.

Linux and BSD is already in almost every single InterNET device, yes, (unix has ALWAYS been there, from the birth), they are all invisible to the User, but it's definitely not going to be a Windows/Mac world anymore, as if it ever "really" was -Lol.
But "they" aren't really worried about that, are "they" ?
And worse, it will definitely NOT even resemble Linux/bsd, ie: look at Android -it's a complete fork-off of a re-gurgitated Linux kernel loaded with "proprietary" bianary blobs, ...
Is that freedom for the User ? -again, NO.

It's all about who/what "controls" the Intenet. The Androids,..., are just the natural derivative(s) to ensure that balanace of Power, without which, all guilt would equate to those responsible corps/gov't.
They won't allow that, worst case?, "they" will just tell us all, we are "SNAFU", and not to worry. -Lol

Corporation(s), and gov't are "against" the Freedom of the (Internet)User. To even think anything else, is self-denial. -but hey, we have been pre-conditioned for this too. Ha ha.
ISP-providers are (pretending to be) absolutely powerless against this, thus far ?
The user will see an Internet that "they" want you to see, but definitely not a "real" Internet anymore.

Zittrain was overly kind in his "PC is dead?" thingy, He should have expanded this into the reality that it is.
Namely, that the PC, ..., and User, won't matter anymore, in this "new"/controlled Internet.

The average User, will not even miss the "old"/real Internet soon. And sadly, there is nothing "free", or "legal" about that.
Now, connect Internet-garbage-pipe, and enjoy what you are told to do.

Ya, I know, doom 'n gloom, I just dare anyone, to prove that it's not going to become even worse than the above, if that's even possible ?!
...
yep, that's what I thought

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

The PC isn't dead, its just theres no money in them anymore.

mod_wastrel
anonome
join:2008-03-28

mod_wastrel to rik5

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to rik5
You really think those tablets, pads, and "smart" phones being sold nowadays aren't PCs?
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to rik5

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to rik5
the PC is harder to kill than tech writers think because PC technology is advancing just as fast or faster than tablets, Meaning that it will be awhile until a tablet can utterly replace the desktop computer.

However I do see a better synergy between tablets/phones and the PC/Mac hopefully to the point that they can seamlessly communicate. One should not have to install special software on either device to see the files. IMO if I have a drive shared in Windows/OSX I should be able to tap an icon on my tablet and mount that network drive and access its data. the OS would automatically unmount it if it detects its off that wifi network. and when it rejoins that wifi it would try and remount it.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

tablet manufacturers don't want that. They want a cloud between you and your data in order to protect their closed ecosystems.

carpetshark3
Premium Member
join:2004-02-12
Idledale, CO

carpetshark3

Premium Member

You can root a tablet. Once you have root and superuser, you can deal with this. I've done a phone and am thinking about doing a tablet.

Pole883
Premium Member
join:2004-01-27
Schenectady, NY

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So well said.............thanks man................peace.............
intok (banned)
join:2012-03-15

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They aren't in the traditional sense that you are allowed to do as you wish with them, ARM devices with locked bootloaders hardware that is completely non standard to prevent any non manufacturer customized version to be installed, what Microsoft wants to do with SecureBoot etc.

It's the dumbing down of the computer, they aren't just making it so easy your grandma can use it, they are lobotomizing them so that they are nothing more then a glorified WebTV.

With the way things are going it wont be long before the big media companies along with Apple Microsoft and Google have everything locked down to the point that the open internet as we know it will be completely dead, you'll get everything from the app store, your device will never get updates of any kind that don't involve buying a new version of the device even if it's got no actual physical limitations to it's hardware that would prevent you from running the updated software fluently.

TL;DR In short post PC means a return to subscription based everything.
intok

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to Kearnstd
You overestimate what most people actually need, even current ARM hardware is fast enough if given enough ram, the Cortex-A15/Mali-T series SoCs are more then what the majority of the market needs.
intok

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And when they use tamper proof/self bricking encryption methods like the ones usen in the old Capcom arcade carts that even as simple as it was took a decade to crack how will you continue to jailbreak?

David
Premium Member
join:2002-05-30
Granite City, IL

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to Kearnstd
said by Kearnstd:

the PC is harder to kill than tech writers think because PC technology is advancing just as fast or faster than tablets, Meaning that it will be awhile until a tablet can utterly replace the desktop computer.

I agree... I think it will be a long while before PC's are dead.
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

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No they are SPYING UNITS meant to log and record everything its owner does!! (Stupid to own one)

bassjunky
join:2005-05-12
Aubrey, TX

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Re: [Rant] It's NOT the PC that is dead ?

I find randomly "quoting" words to provide "emphasis" to be rather "superfluous".

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

"I" "would" "tend" "to" "agree"

redxii
Mod
join:2001-02-26
Michigan
Asus RT-AC3100
Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH2

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Because tablets and smartphones can do everything a PC can do, right?

It wouldn't be a Windows/OS X world for me personally on the day Microsoft decides I can only install apps they approve from their app store. It's obviously a bad move if they removed Explorer/legacy apps from PC versions of Windows 8; with their ARM tablets locked down to only Metro it should make the transition to locking down the PC faster.

I'm not normally paranoid at all about what MS does with their OS but Metro is hard to ignore.

mod_wastrel
anonome
join:2008-03-28

mod_wastrel

Member

People need to remember/recognize that "PC" stands for "personal computer"--not "desktop" (or "laptop"), not "Windows", and certainly not "Windows desktop". A personal computing device is still just a personal computing device--it stores, loads, and runs applications, regardless of the OS or the h/w. The "PC Era" goes on and on and on... the "Post-PC Era" will probably be that time when we all either have computers implanted in our bodies or we have our consciousness transferred to android bodies (not devices) .
intok (banned)
join:2012-03-15

intok (banned)

Member

A tablet or smart phone aren't computers though, they are appliances. They are a computer as much as your microwave, washing machine, TV, or Game Boy are. Sure there are processing units in them, but you have little, if any control over them. So what if you can install BSD on your toaster, it still can't do what a real computer can.

mod_wastrel
anonome
join:2008-03-28

mod_wastrel

Member

You're too funny.
intok (banned)
join:2012-03-15

intok (banned)

Member

Jail breaking the appliance doesn't make it a computer.

Gear like the Pandaboard, Beagleboard, RaspberryPi, CottonCandy etc are real computers based on the same type of hardware found in Smartphones and appliance tablets though.

Don't tell me you honestly think that with the current trend towards appliance tech that can be forced into obsolescence on a whim that Google, Apple and Microsoft aren't looking to come up with a locked system that can keep you from jail breaking the bootloader for at least a few years, long enough for the majority that where interested to have given up to focus on newer, shinier objects. It doesn't have to be unbreakable, it just has to last about 5 years without being cracked.

mod_wastrel
anonome
join:2008-03-28

mod_wastrel

Member

All you're saying now is that you don't know the difference between a computer and a general purpose computer. Sad.

rchandra
Stargate Universe fan
Premium Member
join:2000-11-09
14225-2105
ARRIS ONT1000GJ4
EnGenius EAP1250

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nope, not by a longshot, in the most widely used sense of "PC." If broken down to its literal meaning, "personal compter," of course, yes. They're miniaturized versions of a complete personal computer. However, I've personally yet to see how these tiny versions will ever replace a desktop system. I need more than just an access medium which a tablet would provide. I also want a full-sized, full travel keyboard, not some virtualized imitation of one.

PatPatate
join:2008-02-10
Sainte-Julie, QC

PatPatate

Member

Take a look the first personnal computers. Those had no mouse and can do barely nothing compared to desktop computers and tablets we have today...

were they still personnal computers? Yes.
intok (banned)
join:2012-03-15

intok (banned)

Member

The majority of which allowed you to do with the machine what you liked and even encouraged you to write software for them, what about black box locked down appliances does that?

PatPatate
join:2008-02-10
Sainte-Julie, QC

PatPatate

Member

Google gives you the android SDK...

Sony gave you the option to install Linux on your PS3 (but they removed it)

With the amount of apps for iOS devices, there must be something similar too.
intok (banned)
join:2012-03-15

intok (banned)

Member

Has to be done on an external machine, modification and development on the appliance is highly frowned upon.

PatPatate
join:2008-02-10
Sainte-Julie, QC

PatPatate to rik5

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to rik5
It has to be done on an external machine because it is much more convenient.

But it wouldn't be impossible to do on the device itself if someone made a programming app + a compiler.

It is simply not worth the time of developing such apps because most developers would still prefer doing it on a computer and 99% of all other users simply don't care.
PatPatate

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I think a Personal Computer is anything that you can customize to add the functionality YOU want.

So, yes, any Android/Blackberry/iOS devices are some kind of personal computers. You can customize them so they do more stuff than what they do when they come out of the box.

A DVD player, a video game console, a MP3 player, even if they have all the parts required (CPU, Ram, Input device, etc) are not personal computers because most of the time you cannot customize them.
intok (banned)
join:2012-03-15

intok (banned)

Member

They are only as customizable as they allow you via app store, as before, you have to break into the appliance to run ANY ARBITRARY CODE that you may want to run. That is a massive difference.

Remember, Person Computing started with the Altair, which you programmed via toggle switches

PatPatate
join:2008-02-10
Sainte-Julie, QC

PatPatate

Member

said by intok:

They are only as customizable as they allow you via app store

But you can become a developper and publish your apps on the app store too.

Fronkman
An Apple a day keeps the doctor away
Premium Member
join:2003-06-23
Saint Louis, MO

Fronkman to PatPatate

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to PatPatate
said by PatPatate:

I think a Personal Computer is anything that you can customize to add the functionality YOU want.

unfortunately you can't just invent meanings for words.

a PC is a general-purpose computer which is intended for use by a single user, meaning that the price, size and functionality are compatible with the general consumer's needs. a PC is not a mainframe or a specialized computer than requires an operator with special training.

it has nothing to do with "customization" or "apps" or whether or not you can root the device.

tablets fit this role quite well, as do smartphones. begrudging the lost days of DOS and UNIX makes you all sound curmudgeonly. no one will stop you from using UNIX or DOS but the rest of the world will continue moving on. you can keep riding horses to work and reading books by candlelight as well...