Readers comment on NCs What features do you want to see included in NCs? By Carolyn W.C. Wong

March  1997

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The comments are reproduced as received; only some minor spelling and punctuation errors have been corrected. -- Editors

Responses to Question 6:
What kinds of features would you like to see included in NCs?

Date: Thu Jan 2 15:17:50 PST 1997

Ability to store information in a file-like server back at the NCs' server. NC by itself does not need storage - the user needs the storage. If the user can store items in a user-specific section of server drive storage, then there is no problem. If the user can also store information to a floppy at the NC, there is also no problem.

Date: Fri Jan 3 20:24:54 PST 1997

A medium bandwidth serial expansion "bus" that allows more than 1 NC to share local devices and allows, device auto-configuration, hot plugability, etc. No configuration issues for user to sweat over.

Date: Sun Jan 5 01:33:50 PST 1997

Local disk. Yes, all software from net is good thing, but in My computer MUST be My local storage.

Date: Sun Jan 5 18:38:50 PST 1997

Smaller displays, e.g. LCD, for wall mounted applications

Date: Mon Jan 6 11:16:25 PST 1997

Ability to run Java software built in to the hardware, as well as not being forced into a specific vendors server platform. For example, the Sun JavaStation is all fine and dandy but at this point I can't justify buying a Sun server to try one or two of them out here. Once we're able to be able to run them off of almost any Unix server platform I plan to start buying them in droves.

Date: Wed Jan 8 09:54:34 PST 1997

Multimedia - Sound, video conferencing, Fast Ethernet

Date: Thu Jan 9 13:32:20 PST 1997

Centralized system configuration based on IP or other unique address (i.e. graphics settings powerdown etc...)

Date: Fri Jan 10 10:41:46 PST 1997

Multimedia

Date: Sun Jan 12 06:39:59 PST 1997

Web-browser, e-mail, connectivity to legacy systems (VT/3270/5250/hp3000 terminal emulation).

Date: Mon Jan 13 07:34:25 PST 1997

Ability to save/print files

Date: Mon Jan 13 15:47:22 PST 1997

Games, development utilities

Date: Tue Jan 14 11:29:46 PST 1997

Configurability... the idea that this is my TERMINAL, not my COMPUTER. I only rent/lease/am assigned my computer (storage space, computing power etc.) depending on my needs and funds.

Date: Tue Jan 14 12:28:46 PST 1997

More memory. Less reliance on central server for apps.

Date: Wed Jan 15 13:39:56 PST 1997

None, I think the whole NC concept is all vaporware, except for the hardware.

Date: Thu Jan 16 08:08:42 PST 1997

Who need NCs? Only people like those doing data entry, word processing, etc. A subset of the end users. Developers will _NEVER_ give up their "control!"

Date: Thu Jan 16 11:26:10 PST 1997

Local printer

Date: Thu Jan 16 15:36:40 PST 1997

Ability to quickly build GUI interfaces to corporate databases; easy installation and maintenance (automated system administration tools); Large screens; hard drives for user-specific information storage; multimedia capability

Date: Fri Jan 17 05:34:17 PST 1997

Personal environment where changes are only useful for the user, but not for the corporative software...

Date: Fri Jan 17 20:42:16 PST 1997

Interface for access a local external devices, like storage, for example removable hard disks.

Date: Mon Jan 20 16:57:22 MET 1997

Large flash memory

Date: Wed Jan 22 10:23:38 PST 1997

Ability for user's configuration to be portable (Colors, preferences, etc.), with flash cards, maybe...

Date: Wed Jan 22 14:42:30 PST 1997

One clearly defined standard, two is one too many.

Date: Thu Jan 23 04:07:25 PST 1997

A DOS-compatible floppy. Floppynet is still a very popular MAN (metropolitan area network) system ...

Date: Thu Jan 23 13:10:41 PST 1997

A standard authentication system.

Date: Thu Jan 23 14:25:27 PST 1997

The ability to save data and do more such as a little word processing

Date: Fri Jan 31 08:45:25 PST 1997

Disks, a real OS; the ability to run other things than Java code.

Date: Fri Jan 31 14:43:56 PST 1997

Faster performance, availability of common "office" applications, more standardization.

Date: Fri Jan 31 18:56:59 PST 1997

Flash ROM for fast boot and optional drive for caching.

Date: Fri Jan 31 20:26:33 PST 1997

Ability to save data

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