Date: Jan.04.2002
Gates & Microsoft - Far Future
A little more of the same.........but a A New Strategy
Bill Gates did indeed remove himself from the day-to-day operations and had a pie thrown in his face by 'nuts' who wanted him to share his wealth ( dispite the fact he has financially out-donated, using his own money, everyone in history ). Drug Rehabilatation is an issue he hasn't gotten around to, simply because he hasn't found out about Narconon yet.
Bill and Microsoft are going to be working on a brand new strategy for it's future. It has to do with stearing away from function software programs and into 'module' programming. MODULE: def.2- any of a set of units to be variously fitted together. def.3- a detachable unit with a specific function.
I see the technology companies and the tech consumers reaching an impasse currently. The tech companies say, "Here's the latest and greatest! Buy now." The consumers will say, "Only if it is affordably and easily upgradable, stays 'cutting edge' for a long time, and easily expandable in over-all capacity." In other words, let us keep the same physical structure but allow it to achieve the potentiality of what's on the horizon. A tall order? I don't think so.
Microsoft has been working on internet based software for some time. Or at least Microsoft server based software which interacts with user's computers. Just check out the behind-the-scenes web technology here at the Discussion Forum. I designed the site, allowed options like pictures, colors and chat, uploaded what I wanted there but used no resources or software within my own computer. The web page design software was all on their server. I only had a small program installed by their server to easily 'allow' my uploads to go smoothly.
I can see two ways that Microsoft will go. One option is to have in your home or work, a BIG, BIG easily expandable, flexable module-like system. Loads of storage and capacity that has Microsoft module-based programs within programs. Features like Artificial Intelligence, Voice Recognition, and Individualized Personal Assistants will be so complex that it will require computers to program computers. Each as a piece of larger programs. Think of the math calculations NASA uses to send a spacecraft aloft. No one person understands the entirety of the computations involved. Computers break the calculations down. Scientists can have computers do the millions of smaller calculations various ways as a sort of cross-check but still, no one system knows or has it all. There will be the built-in potential of the future sitting on your desktop, ready for tomorrow.
The second option is to have 'basic' internet connect systems which won't have much local horsepower but they will use programs on demand that reside on the internet servers. Sort of like the Microsoft-hosted Predictions Discussion Site we use here. You need not concern yourself about what type of software is doing the job or feature you want, or your own 'system requirements' to make it work, only that it does works!
I recall, about ten years ago, Bill Gates talking about everyone having a simple net-connected computer for a few hundred dollars. He even mentioned the word 'free' if ad revenue would be suffice to warrant giving them away. We're almost there now.
I know this has been a long, dry boring dissertation about Microsoft's future. It does tend to look a little unexciting cause without the system crashes and the odd virus alert, the web is starting to take on the appearance of your TV, except for the paper-type documents, or the email and video chats with your family, of course. I expect the two technologies to merge and integrate completely! And Microsoft along with the other big players in software and hardware will be there.
In a few years, I'll be watching a News clip on TV, think I want to save it, point my wireless pointer at an option button on the corner of the screen and send the entire clip to my personal computer upstairs. Now if I could just figure out how to get my 'personal' system to fetch me a beer from the fridge! ( I know, the robots coming out next year ).
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