[deltafowler]

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9112732

My thoughts:
Dell & Intel tying E-mail, browsing, messaging into a basic OS (assuming similar to media direct) and allowing users to bypass waiting for Windows to get its fat caboose off the ground.

This is one more step towards what has been my vision of the future of personal computing since the late 90's.

Computers will become basic appliances. Like ipods, cell phones, etc., they will all have the same basic functionality in hard-coded firmware.
An Internet appliance will become as standard as televisions are now in Hotel rooms.
Users will access their data via online storage and flash memory devices they carry with them.

The user's ability to shoot himself in the foot by misconfiguring the devices will be eliminated.
Every reboot will reset the device to its basic configuration, so viruses and malware no longer a place to do their damage.

 

[Drew2k]

If the Windows OS isn't running but the user access email and the browser, is the user protected from viruses and other attacks while surfing and reading email?

The user is connected to the internet, but I see no mention in the article how the user will be protected ...

 

[HIPAR]

If the Windows OS isn't running but the user access email and the browser, is the user protected from viruses and other attacks while surfing and reading email?

The user is connected to the internet, but I see no mention in the article how the user will be protected ...

I suspect these applications might operate in a kind of virtual machine mode. Perhaps they renew themselves each time they are started and only allow writing of variable data while prohibiting installation of all executables.

If they added software for 'sharing memories', that's all the great majority of computer users would require.

--- CHAS