Let's go back in time a little bit. There was the beginning of this 'cloud computing' thing that enabled users to store their data in the cloud (the Internet.) Then evolved the 'Software as a Service' (SaaS) concept, which let users perform Office tasks inside their browsers, without opening up any other program. Then various websites delivering SaaS emerged with different services. Do not think these sites are wet behind the ears start-ups: Adobe introduced an 'online Photoshop' that lets you upload photos, edit them, create albums etc. What you can do with a web browser now includes: creating and managing your office documents, editing photos, sharing files, e-mail, music (online radio or music library), watching movies, send instant messages, send SMS, and so on. Seriously, what else are we doing else with our computers? (Gamers, 3D modellers, graphics artists, CAD/CAM users, system/network admins please bear with us.)
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The answers are diverse. The majority of users do nothing else with their computers really. Personally, if I were not writing for BrightHub and were not a capricious user, I would be checking my e-mail, cataloging my photos and uploading them, working with some basic word processing, spreadsheet editing, presentations, watching some movies and listening to music. I have a mobile phone that enables me to connect to the Internet and I can share my photos with whomever I want. Do I need a quad-core computer just to connect me to the Internet?
What is the ratio of the users like me to the complete user base? Of course, the complete user base is gamers, programmers, CAD/CAM users, professional musicians, graphics artists, network admins and all those power-users. But we, the standard users (or the computer operators if you will) are the biggest ratio of the complete user base. Consider my wife: she only needs access to some work documents and work e-mail and to check her Facebook profile 3 or 4 times a year (yes, that's correct.) Other than that, the notebook that her company has given her is no more than a heavy thing to carry. Does she need the latest 17” dual-core laptop?
And where does the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) fit in?
