Dear Future Gamer

Hang on guys, maybe I'm wrong here but I remember all the hype about an NC (Network Computer) a couple of years ago. All the press were saying that everyone would have one in their front rooms. You would rent time on software such as word processors over the Internet, all your data would be stored on secure severs on the Internet, everyone would be able to communicate with everyone else and there would be no need for paper ever again. What happened?

It failed. It fell squarely on its slimline £199 Internet-ready arse. No-one made them, let alone bought them, as nobody wanted to take the risk. There wasn't (and isn't) the bandwidth to cope. The only people that can "run away with low cost net access" are the phone companies, not the service providers or the hardware manufacturers. And until the communication companies get together and give us low cost Internet access with obscenely high speeds then yes, something like an NC would possibly work. It didn't work in the past though, and it won't work now.

The only way that Microsoft would be able to do something like that is the X Box. People will buy it for games and use it for the net as well. However, it would have to be simple, with no patches, upgrades, 'service packs' or incompatibilities - it would need to be as foolproof as a console, and that's something I don't think Microsoft are capable of making.

Daniel G

FG: Good points, Daniel. I wonder if BT and the rest have thought about taking advantage of their position regarding net access? Bet they have...