Apple's Dream for the Future: Communications
Marc N. Barrett
impressed with what he had to say. He basically explained Apple's long-term
vision for the future. He said that Apple had analyzed what computers were
used for in the past and what they were being used for today, and concluded
something about the future. He said that personal computers were used
primarily for data processing at first, but that this use of personal
computers was in decline. He said that computers today are being used for
communications more and more, and that Apple expects that use of computers
to not only to continue but to greatly expand. He said that communications
is what Apple is gearing all of their long-term plans around.
I think this vision of the future for computers is a correct one. It
probably surprises no one that I use computers almost 100% for communications,
and I think this is true for MANY people. This vision by Apple can be
seen in their newest computers, the C660AV and Q840AV. Both of these systems
have almost EVERYTHING you need to do two-way audio/video teleconferencing
over an ethernet connection -- everything except the video camera. The
C660AV and Q840AV come with audio output and audio input, video output and
video input, ethernet, and the two-way a/v teleconferencing software all in
standard hardware/software. Further, you can buy a package, at extra cost
(I don't know how much extra cost), to do multi-way video teleconferencing
over an ethernet connection. Finally, I see Apple, sometime soon, developing
a monitor with a video camera built-in and making this monitor standard with
special packages, so that a person would have everything they'd need for
desktop audio/video teleconferencing right there in standard hardware and
software. (The camera would likely be like the one built-into AT&T's
VideoPhone).
Let's see what one would have to add to an Amiga to do desktop audio/video
teleconferencing:
Audio/video teleconferencing software -- Sorry, doesn't exist for the
Amiga.
A DSP card to do the real-time compression of the video images so they
don't take up a lot of ethernet bandwidth -- $1300.
Real-time framegrabber -- Does this exist for the Amiga?
Ethernet card -- $200.
So, you could spend $2000 in hardware on an already-expensive $2500
A4000 and still not have the hardware and software to do two-way a/v
teleconferencing, while for $2500 a Mac Centris 660AV comes with everything
(except the camera) as standard hardware and software.
It should be very clear that Commodore has NO such vision for the future
of computing. Networking is at the heart of this vision by Apple, and
Commodore completely dissolved their networking department and totally washed
their hands of it by completely turning it over to the third-party companies.
The only vision Commodore has for the future is merely giving their computers
faster CPUs and better graphics and color.
BTW, people have ridiculed the idea of a Mac being able to serve as a
telephone answering machine, but the point is that the computer can do it,
and do it very inexpensively. You only need to add a $100 gadget that plugs
into the serial port anf gives you an RJ11 telephone jack (I agree this
gadget should be standard hardware with AV Macs); this gadget also allows
the AV Mac's DSP to serve as a 9600 bps faxmodem modem. Again, all the
software to allow the DSP to serve as a modem and the Mac to serve as an
answering machine is standard software with AV Macs. With these capabilities,
the Mac is a truly unified communications machine -- it can do desktop
audio/video teleconferencing, send faxes, receive faxes, place calls
(you'd talk into a microphone plugged into the audio digitizer port), and
even take commands over the phone (I'll get into that next), all in one
system.
This ability to take commands over the phone could be handy, if you were
careful with it. The AV Mac's voice recognition can be set up to trigger
with a keyword, like "computer". You could give it a secret keyword, then
use that keyword to make your Mac do things merely by giving it a phone call.
For this feature to work would require software to be written to exploit it,
and I expect third-party companies to write such software. My point again
is that a $2500 A4000 could not do it even if you spent $2000 on additional
hardware for it, while, for $2500, a Mac C660AV comes with (almost) everything
to make it possible all in standard hardware (all except that $100 gadget,
which should be included as standard).
+++++++
++++ Marc Barrett -MB-
++ IRC nick: Cyclone | e-mail: bar...@iastate.edu
+
Evan Kirchhoff
In article <CDKwr...@news.iastate.edu> bar...@iastate.edu (Marc N. Barrett) writes:
> I attended a short demo given by an Apple rep recently, and I was fairly
>impressed with what he had to say.
That's the general idea behind sales-rep demos. The trick is to apply
just a teensy bit of scepticism whenever you know that someone is
out to sell you something.
> He basically explained Apple's long-term
>vision for the future. He said that Apple had analyzed what computers were
>used for in the past and what they were being used for today, and concluded
>something about the future. He said that personal computers were used
>primarily for data processing at first, but that this use of personal
>computers was in decline. He said that computers today are being used for
>communications more and more, and that Apple expects that use of computers
>to not only to continue but to greatly expand. He said that communications
>is what Apple is gearing all of their long-term plans around.
>
> I think this vision of the future for computers is a correct one...
Excuse me for failing to be stunned by the originality of this
"vision". You're on the Internet, fergodsakes, a worldwide network
with millions of users that's now doubling every six months -- did you
really need an Apple salesdroid to tell you that computers are "being
used for communications more and more"? I would guess that this
"vision" has been conventional wisdom for anyone who cared to pay
attention anytime during the last 10 or 20 years.
> BTW, people have ridiculed the idea of a Mac being able to serve as a
>telephone answering machine, but the point is that the computer can do it,
>and do it very inexpensively. You only need to add a $100 gadget that plugs
>into the serial port anf gives you an RJ11 telephone jack
Or, you could buy a $50 gadget that plugs into your telephone and can
record up to half an hour of messages on media that costs about $2.00
(as opposed to using 30 megs of hard drive space for the same
function). I continue to ridicule this idea.
> (I agree this
>gadget should be standard hardware with AV Macs); this gadget also allows
>the AV Mac's DSP to serve as a 9600 bps faxmodem modem.
Ah, here's the savings -- it also replaces a $100 modem. Of course, if
you bought a real modem and a real answering machine, you could use
them both at the same time. There's always a trade-off ;)
--
Evan Kirchhoff, kir...@ccu.umanitoba.ca
sincl...@cobra.uni.edu
> [hijacked back from an attemped followup-to to c.s.a.datacomm]
>
> In article <CDKwr...@news.iastate.edu> bar...@iastate.edu (Marc N. Barrett) writes:
>> I attended a short demo given by an Apple rep recently, and I was fairly
>>impressed with what he had to say.
>
> That's the general idea behind sales-rep demos. The trick is to apply
> just a teensy bit of scepticism whenever you know that someone is
> out to sell you something.
I don't think that was the idea. I am sure Apple has many reps nationwide
espouting Apple's vision of communications on computers. There is nothing
wrong with it. If C= sent reps around espouting C='s vision on Games, you
would not object.
In stead of using the phone for long distance calling, why don't we save money
by writing a letter and 29 cent stamp.
>
>> (I agree this
>>gadget should be standard hardware with AV Macs); this gadget also allows
>>the AV Mac's DSP to serve as a 9600 bps faxmodem modem.
>
> Ah, here's the savings -- it also replaces a $100 modem. Of course, if
> you bought a real modem and a real answering machine, you could use
> them both at the same time. There's always a trade-off ;)
Yea, but than again the Amiga does not have it.
>
> --
> Evan Kirchhoff, kir...@ccu.umanitoba.ca
>
Peter Sinclair-Day UNIV. of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa
"I am going to pass my Humanities Exam"
Hsu I-wei
<sincl...@cobra.uni.edu> wrote:
>In article <CDLEx...@ccu.umanitoba.ca>, kir...@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Evan Kirchhoff) writes:
>>
>> Or, you could buy a $50 gadget that plugs into your telephone and can
>> record up to half an hour of messages on media that costs about $2.00
>> (as opposed to using 30 megs of hard drive space for the same
>> function). I continue to ridicule this idea.
>
>In stead of using the phone for long distance calling, why don't we save money
>by writing a letter and 29 cent stamp.
Maybe because mail is SO MUCH SLOWER!?!?!?!?!? Now you explain why you
should buy a $100 gadget that records over precious media instead of a
$50 one that records on a simple cassette.
>> --
>> Evan Kirchhoff, kir...@ccu.umanitoba.ca
>
>Peter Sinclair-Day UNIV. of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa
Francis
Evan Kirchhoff
>In article <CDLEx...@ccu.umanitoba.ca>, kir...@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Evan Kirchhoff) writes:
>> [hijacked back from an attemped followup-to to c.s.a.datacomm]
>>
>> In article <CDKwr...@news.iastate.edu> bar...@iastate.edu (Marc N. Barrett) writes:
>>> I attended a short demo given by an Apple rep recently, and I was fairly
>>>impressed with what he had to say.
>>
>> That's the general idea behind sales-rep demos. The trick is to apply
>> just a teensy bit of scepticism whenever you know that someone is
>> out to sell you something.
>
>I don't think that was the idea. I am sure Apple has many reps nationwide
>espouting Apple's vision of communications on computers.
You "don't think that was the idea"??? What on earth do you think
travelling Apple sales reps are doing -- wandering the globe spreading
general truth and knowledge out of the goodness of their hearts?
Apple's "vision" is exactly the same as that of every other computer
company on the planet: they want to sell as many computers as
possible. They have discovered that using words like "vision"
actually helps them do this, at least in some cases.
> There is nothing
>wrong with it. If C= sent reps around espouting C='s vision on Games, you
>would not object.
I'd laugh myself silly. This would be even dumber than Apple's
"vision" statements (C= rep, speaking in a slow and serious voice:
"Commodore's vision for computers...is that you can play games on
them.")
>>> BTW, people have ridiculed the idea of a Mac being able to serve as a
>>>telephone answering machine, but the point is that the computer can do it,
>>>and do it very inexpensively. You only need to add a $100 gadget that plugs
>>>into the serial port anf gives you an RJ11 telephone jack
>>
>> Or, you could buy a $50 gadget that plugs into your telephone and can
>> record up to half an hour of messages on media that costs about $2.00
>> (as opposed to using 30 megs of hard drive space for the same
>> function). I continue to ridicule this idea.
>
>In stead of using the phone for long distance calling, why don't we save money
>by writing a letter and 29 cent stamp.
No need! The upcoming Quadra 842.5AVIIcix has a special "SnailMail
Emulation" as a standard feature of the OS: all you have to do is
scrawl your message on the case of the Quadra with a magic-marker,
slap a bunch of stamps on it, and toss the Quadra into the nearest
mailbox!
--
Evan Kirchhoff, kir...@ccu.umanitoba.ca
Evan Torrie
>Maybe because mail is SO MUCH SLOWER!?!?!?!?!? Now you explain why you
>should buy a $100 gadget that records over precious media instead of a
>$50 one that records on a simple cassette.
For starters,
random access.
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evan Torrie. Stanford University, Class of 199? tor...@cs.stanford.edu
Embrace rationalism, reject superstition. Blasphemy is a victimless crime.
Daniel Barrett
>>Now you explain why you should buy a $100 gadget that records over
>>precious media instead of a $50 one that records on a simple cassette.
In article <torrie.7...@Xenon.Stanford.EDU> tor...@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie) writes:
>For starters, random access.
Oh definitely. It's worth several hundred dollars in hard disk
space, as opposed to a $2.00 tape, so I can have the awesome power of
listening to my answering machine messages in any order I want.
Wheeeee. Hold me back... I'm drooling on my mouse.
Dan
//////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
| Dan Barrett -- Dept of Computer Science, Lederle Graduate Research Center |
| University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 -- bar...@cs.umass.edu |
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/////////////////////////////////////
Sean McDowell
>fi...@athena.mit.edu (Hsu I-wei) writes:
>>Maybe because mail is SO MUCH SLOWER!?!?!?!?!? Now you explain why you
>>should buy a $100 gadget that records over precious media instead of a
>>$50 one that records on a simple cassette.
>For starters,
> random access.
Also better sound quality; my Mom's cheap answering machine is almost
incomprehensible.
Also, messages are time and date stamped. You can also play messages back
at half speed or double speed without changing the pitch of the speaker's
voice: the person won't sound like a smurf or Lurch.
Sean
Skip Sauls
>In <torrie.7...@Xenon.Stanford.EDU> tor...@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie) writes:
>
>>fi...@athena.mit.edu (Hsu I-wei) writes:
>
>>>Maybe because mail is SO MUCH SLOWER!?!?!?!?!? Now you explain why you
>>>should buy a $100 gadget that records over precious media instead of a
>>>$50 one that records on a simple cassette.
>
>>For starters,
>> random access.
>
>Also better sound quality; my Mom's cheap answering machine is almost
>incomprehensible.
Sorry, I don't buy this one at all. The audio coming across the
phone lines is around 4kHz, well within the range of an audio tape.
If the Mac is sampling it at a greater rate, it's doing nothing but
wasting disk space. Tell your mom to get a new tape or to quit
buying answering machines at garage sales. :-)
>Also, messages are time and date stamped. You can also play messages back
>at half speed or double speed without changing the pitch of the speaker's
>voice: the person won't sound like a smurf or Lurch.
Oh yeah, real useful features there. I guess I'm the only person who
has friends polite enough to say "Hi Skip, this is So-And-So. It's
5:30 Tuesday afternoon, give me a call." As for playing back messages
at other speeds, what's the point? Do all of your friends have speech
impediments or something?
I need this AV answering machine crap like I need a Newton.
Skip Sauls
sk...@cy.cs.olemiss.edu
Edward D. Berger
Iowans with their hype, and have them said Iowans communicate their hype
to the ends of the earth with endless repetition.
-Ed Berger
eb...@andrew.cmu.edu
Scott Ashdown
In a previous article, tor...@cs.stanford.edu (Evan Torrie) says:
>fi...@athena.mit.edu (Hsu I-wei) writes:
>
>>Maybe because mail is SO MUCH SLOWER!?!?!?!?!? Now you explain why you
>>should buy a $100 gadget that records over precious media instead of a
>>$50 one that records on a simple cassette.
>
>For starters,
> random access.
What? Random access? How often do you jump to the middle of a piece of
mail/email and read what's there? Do you do this 1/2 the way along, or 9/16 the
way along the message? Do you routinely only listen to little snippets of phone
conversations?
--
Scott Ashdown | Carleton University Transputer Lab
Computer Systems | ash...@sce.carleton.ca
Engineering Year IV | ac...@freenet.carleton.ca
J MacNish
Evan Kirchhoff <kir...@ccu.umanitoba.ca> wrote:
[..deleted..]
>
>No need! The upcoming Quadra 842.5AVIIcix has a special "SnailMail
>Emulation" as a standard feature of the OS: all you have to do is
>scrawl your message on the case of the Quadra with a magic-marker,
>slap a bunch of stamps on it, and toss the Quadra into the nearest
>mailbox!
>
>--
>Evan Kirchhoff, kir...@ccu.umanitoba.ca
>
This is excellent!
Trashing/junking your mail takes on a whole new meaning.
jjm
Gargravarr
>In article <CDKwr...@news.iastate.edu>,> > [the same stuff as always deleted]
>
>10. *****
> Q: How should I react to crackpot messages?
> What should an ordinary user do about such postings on the news.
>The best course of action is plain ignore them even if you would itch
>to respond. Put the subject (or the offender's address) in your news
>kill file. [...]
A lot of the sexual or other harrassment I've seen happen is
delivered by private e-mail. Is there any mail software out
there that allows a killfile/twitlist for your private mailbox?
After all, even the phone company allows you to have certain
numbers blocked from calling your phone; why isn't there a way
to have all email messages from a list of addresses you specify
automatically "bounced"??
Jeremy
--
+~~~//~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+
3k!// "Just fair-weather words from four-letter friends.." -T.C.S |
\\// "Oh, wow. Elephants are really set for oral sex, huh?" -Phil |
+\/_______________________________________________________________+