Microsoft's Ray Ozzie Sees "Post-PC" World
Microsoft's retiring Chief Technical Officer Ray Ozzie asked that the company move on from its PC-oriented roots and envision a world that mainly relies on the Internet and wireless devices. The comment arrives just after the public announcement of his retirement and in less than a month before the 25th anniversary of Windows 1.0's launch.
"It’s important that all of us do precisely what our competitors and customers will ultimately do: close our eyes and form a realistic picture of what a post-PC world might actually look like, if it were to ever truly occur," he said in a blog. "Those who can envision a plausible future that’s brighter than today will earn the opportunity to lead."
He goes on to recognize a "wholesale reconfiguration" in the way we perceive and apply technology, referring to how consumers embrace apps and tablets. He also said that early adopters are moving away from mentally associating computing with PCs, CD-installed programs, desktops, files and folders. Instead, they're shifting towards cloud-based continuous services and appliance-like connected devices enabling them to interact with those cloud-based services.
"Many years ago when the PC first emerged as an alternative to the mini and mainframe, the key facets of simplicity and broad approachability were key to its amazing success," he said. "If there’s to be a next wave of industry reconfiguration--toward a world of internet-connected continuous services and appliance-like connected devices--it would likely arise again from those very same facets. It may take quite a while to happen, but I believe that in some form or another, without doubt, it will."
He added that there's an opportunity for those who envision the "end-game" to recognize both the inevitability and value inherent in the big shift ahead. Its also their responsibility to do what it takes to lead customers into that new post-PC world.
"In the short term, this means imagining the ‘killer apps & services’ and ‘killer devices’ that match up to a broad range of customer needs as they’ll evolve in this new era," he said.
To read his entire blog, head here.
Even if this does at some point become a reality, do you want to trust your PC's ability to function as you wish to a remote server and a private company which needs to be 100% reliable and safe to store your software and important files?
There will always be the need for an interface on hand to opperate and with the advancement in smaller and smaller microarchitecture processes why put the rest of the hardware at a remote location when it can be just as easily there on hand more reliably and safer.
If you ask me advancment in technology will make his ideas obsolete before they are even implemented or adopted.
I guess we will all have to see.
Even if this does at some point become a reality, do you want to trust your PC's ability to function as you wish to a remote server and a private company which needs to be 100% reliable and safe to store your software and important files?
There will always be the need for an interface on hand to opperate and with the advancement in smaller and smaller microarchitecture processes why put the rest of the hardware at a remote location when it can be just as easily there on hand more reliably and safer.
If you ask me advancment in technology will make his ideas obsolete before they are even implemented or adopted.
The reason they make comment like this is to get $$$$$$$. Period.
Sure the tech will change, but the idea of the personal computer will continue. Cloud computing is a CONCEPT, not an actual thing.
Nope.
Case closed.
What do I invision as the future of computing? Nothing but dummy terminals. We can do our banking, gaming, chatting, everything from dummy terminals.
Cheap and mass produced, every home will have one. with a mobile version for all.
Just think, your computer is nothing more than a 30" 5mm thick OLED with a discreet keyboard. The mobile version either being in a cellphone/tablet fashion, or a more direct accessory, such as a armband with a thin, light, durable and cheaply replaceable touchscreen.
Were we no longer have to worry about updating, upgrading, anything. You want to play Crysis on your phone? Then do it. Servers in every city to handle anything requiring low latency, and international servers to handle the heavy stuff.
Maybe I'm just crazy, but I see a world were everyone has what they need. No worrying about whether you should spend $500 or $2000 on a laptop, if it breaks whether or not you can afford to fix it, no worrying whether your phone will run that app for you or not. Were you don't have to cancel your internet just so you can afford groceries when times hit you hard.
A world were everything just works.
I'm shooting for the stars, how about you? Microsoft and Macintosh have enough power and money to help us a least start the changes, but without their support, it will likely take 50 years more or just never happen.
Distant? It's two years before EVERYONE realizes that they only need a fast computer for work or playing games. Netbooks that wirelessly connect to TVs/monitors (although most monitors will have speakers) will be common in three years--making a desk with a keyboard and monitor all you need. And I think most of us know Linux is perfect for a netbook. It's five years until PC's are exclusively top-of-the-line customizable game boxes with an open (or Windows?) platform.
Anyone try Linux recently? The majority of users can't tell LinuxMint apart from Windows XP if you put a nice skin on it. Microsoft is in trouble and in 3 years will be in big trouble if they don't have a major shift of focus. But I think most of the higher ups in Microsoft realize their dire situation--where a Chrome OS focussed on a browser is reasonable.
In terms of thinking PC or just access device to Internet/Cloud, end game is within site. Microsoft needs a strategy.
What about the people that enjoy building PC's? The people that want to have the backup of a file right there with them. Hobbyists, modders and the like will always want PC.