Re: Re: MISC personal computers

["dirnfir" <dirnfir@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Dan C. Rinnert <dcr@canville.com>
To: <MISC@pisa.rockefeller.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 08, 1999 11:49 AM
Subject: Re: Re: MISC personal computers


>dirnfir@usa.net writes:
>>    Does anyone think that a personal computer with a MISC CPU would
>>would popular?  That is, a machine designed for home use, with a GUI, a
>>Forth-based OS, and all.  I guess what I am asking is: could MISC one
>>day supplant the PC as the dominant computer in the home? :) I am very
>>interested in this subject.

<snip>

>Once the hardware is in the hand of the software geeks, sure, some can get
>together and write an open source operating system for it.  But, the ones
>that will get the momentum going are those that will write a commercial
>operating system for it, and the ones that will write the software for that
>commercial operating system.  If a MISC PC can be sold for $250 (and still
>have a good profit margin), you can bet that the people writing the
>commercial operating system and applications for it will market the heck
out
>of it.
>
>And, for those that want the open source operating system, they can buy the
>hardware, download LinuxMISC (or whatever) from the Internet and install it
>on their MISC PC.  Everyone else can use the commercial operating
system(s).
>
>Again, the most important factor in creating a MISC PC that will dominate
the
>home market will be getting a functional MISC motherboard in the hands of
the
>computer software geeks.  If you build it, they will come!!!

Hmm, it seems you and I have seperate views on this subject...  If I had the
technical ability / funding / whatever to start a computer company, it would
operate thusly: there would be no 'commercial operating system'  I would
sell a MISC motherboard that came with operating system disks.  On those
disks would be an open source Forth development system, graphics and I/O
libraries, a basic GUI, ASCII text editor - the bare essentials.  The system
would be targeted at geeks.  When the first modifications were written, I
would incorporate them into the operating system and bundle them on the
disks with the next batch of boards.  My company would contribute by doing
quality control and correcting Human Interface issues.  After a year or two
of that, I would be ready to attempt to sell to the average user.
(Remember, my staff would be preparing it for mass consumption during the
"geek" period.)  The system would still appeal to geeks, but would also be
suitable for home users.

Now if only I could program better... :)

--
dirnfir (dirnfir@usa.net)     icq 30669418