stop me if you've heard this one before

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Rodney Van Meter <rdv () sfc wide ad jp>
Date: April 17, 2009 6:56:35 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: stop me if you've heard this one before

Dave,

The vision has been around a long time (everyone from you to IBM to  
Sun to VMware to me has worked on something related). Maybe this time  
it will succeed?  Maybe not...

One faculty member here, btw, said that in the early 90s that X  
Terminals were actually quite popular here in Japan because they were  
much cheaper than PCs.  My memory differs; in the U.S., an X terminal  
cost as much as a decent PC.  Certainly later they were displaced by  
cheap PCs.

Cocomms: Finnet Starts a Major Paradigm Shift in Computing – Involving  
Largest Local and Global System Suppliers
HELSINKI, Finland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Finnet Association announced a  
project being prepared in collaboration with Finnish and international  
information industry players on 17 April 2009. The project involves  
the largest local and global system suppliers. Investments in the  
project are estimated to EUR 1 billion over the next ten years only  
for Finnet Group. The model is expected to spread globally.

The project aims at bringing 100-megabits and faster connections to  
homes and desktops, making personal computers obsolete. This is the  
world's first project where the operator aims to virtualise users’  
computers and will provide the whole desktop as a service. The project  
has been named Supermatrix.

With connection speeds of a hundred megabits and more, all computers  
including desktops can be located in the operator's computer room in  
each town and village. The user only needs a display unit, mouse and  
keyboard. The user's computer is a virtual part of an extremely  
powerful computer system connected directly to the Internet backbone.  
Performance of one hundred times or more than is currently available  
will be possible if necessary. All local applications are directly  
interconnected. Each Supermatrix locality has its own supercomputer  
that accommodates next-generation applications for the vincinity. In  
Supermatrix, backups, hardware maintenance, virus security and  
operating system updates are taken care of professionally. Users are  
able to see their own applications and desktops, even if they change  
the terminal device. In mobile and remote use, connection to one's own  
desktop can be realised easily and safely. In addition, it is easy for  
the user to switch operating systems and expand memory.

"It is not a good idea for the telecom operator to start to develop  
the necessary hardware and software itself, nor to provide all the  
necessary services. Because of this, the broad participation of the  
entire value network of the IT industry and IT services will be needed  
for the project. We are not intending to develop basic technology.  
That exists already," comments Risto Linturi, Chairman of Finnet  
Association and the initiator of the project. Risto Linturi is a  
pioneer of home automation and digital cities. He is father to  
Helsinki Arena 2000, which became world known as one of the world´s  
first digital city experiments in late the 90´s.

<small snip>

                --Rod






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