Greg in Ohio wrote:
One thing you must realize is that everything is going online. We already do
web-based email, online banking, online shopping, and now software is moving
online. The benefits of having software online is as follows:
1) Prevents piracy.
Open source project already provide their code to any who want it. No
benefit at all there for open source. In short, there is benefit for the
provider but none at all for the user in “prevents piracy”.
2) You always have the lastest version without downloading and installing
updates.
I sometimes don’t want the latest version. New versions of software
usually have bugs, which sometimes effect my own work. In such cases I
want an older version until the bug is fixed. (I am aware that online
software can provide multiple versions to choose from, if those
producing it allow that option. But if they don’t then I’m screwed. I
don’t see any such option at Thinkfree.)
3) You don't have to wait for it to come out on CD.
I don’t have to wait for most software to come out on CD now. Updates
come down from the web now for most software, or I go and get them when
I want them. I buy software on the web and it’s downloaded. Whether the
software operates online is an entirely different issue. Why are you
confusing these two separate issues?
4) You can access your files and the software from any computer in the world
with an internet connection.
Old news. I’ve been able to do this ever since the net existed. There
are lots of products that allow me to connect to my PC from any other
computer in the world. Lots of companies have employees who can work
with files stored at the company from any computer in the world.
And I have always been able to put my files directly on the web. Of
course whoever stores them has to be able to cover the cost of storing
them, whether from money paid by me, or from ads, or from some source of
revenue. Again, nothing new.
Plus you have online photo storage, video storage, classifieds, job seeking
sites, personals (find a mate), and so much more.
We’ve had that since the bulletin board days. Nothing new here either.
You see by having more and more software online your computer's operating
system will not need to be so elaborate. This will allow other companies to
develop operating systems other them MS Windows that will simply allow our
computers to "boot up" so we can get online. Then all of our software will be
online for us to use instead of installed on the computer. This means the
computer will not need to have a superfast processor, a lot of memory, or
even a big hard drive.
And if this can be done sufficiently more cheaply than having one’s own
storage memory, then it would likely take off. However, considering the
constantly decreasing cost of memory (including disk drive memory), that
doesn’t seem to me likely at the moment.
Here's where computers are going: You know how we have flash memory on USB
flash drives and memory cards for our cameras, etc? Well what's going to
happen is the hard drive is going to disappear.
Then it will be replaced by something smaller and better. That's
obvious. But that has nothing whatsoever to do with arguments about the
benefits have having some new thing more on the web managed by providers
or more on local PCs.
Windows (or another operating
system) will be installed on a USB flash drive or actually installed in a
memory module on the motherboard. Windows will not need to load from the hard
drive into memory (since it's already in the memory module). You will push
the power button on and the computer will turn on instantly like a light
switch. Once it's on, you'll open your web browser and all your software will
be online. Your files can be stored online or on your own personal flash
drive.
Flash drive or hard drive, does it matter? If there is no appreciable
benefit to me to having my program files or data files stored online,
why should I store them on line? There must be benefit to me. Are banks
going to start having all their data stored by separate online companies?
I know this because I've been in the computer field for 10 years. I have an
Industrial and Systems Engineering degree from an ABET accredited college of
engineering, A+ certification, Network+ cerfitication, and I'm a a Microsoft
Certified Systems Engineer (9 certifications). Plus I program in HTML,
JavaScript, Visual Basic, and C++. I've been building computers for 10 years
too. So I keep up on all this daily.
If you are so educated, then why are you bringing in arguments that have
nothing to do with the benefits and problems connected with programs run
online versus programs run locally?
Do you also know about http://www.ulteo.com/home/en/home?autolang=en.
OpenOffice.org is online right now.
Since OpenOffice.org is a free, open source product, any company can put
it on line, unlike your Thinkfree, which judging from reviews, is not
yet in the same category as OpenOffice and is apparently proprietary
software. If the company goes bankrupt tomorrow, what happens to any
files I’ve given to them? Can I even open them with other products if I
have copies? Are Thinkfree source files at all readable, or are they a
binary mess?
Since you appear not to be subscribed to this forum, I am sending you a
copy of this post. Please, please, do *not* respond to me directly but
to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Jim Allan
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