outsourcing our PCs

So, if most of the internet is supported in large server farms "somewhere out there" where data is stored and scripts are run (and in case you didn't know, it is), then why do we keep cramming faster processors and greater memory into our PC's and all the other little devices? Wouldn't it be faster, cheaper, and easier if instead of buying personal computers that do it all, we were able to buy a simple device focused on high speed data transfer and user interface? Memory and CPU cycles could be rented from the server farms.

I don't download videos so my hard drive is largely empty. Also, for most of the day it just sits there in the corner, turned off. What a waste! Furthermore, computers become outdated so quickly that all the material that went into the computer ends up being thrown away for a newer version. If I rented my memory and cycles, then instead of upgrading and ditching my old computer, I could just pay a premium for using faster processors or multiple processors. Word processing, which requires few computer resources, would cost a very small fee, but playing Crysis would cost a lot more. In a competitive market I can't imagine that these fees would be very much. Yahoo already gives away an infinite amount of free memory with its email client.

Additionally, this change would allow the focus of personal devices to shift to the interface, which makes a helluva lot of sense to me.

Though most people don't know it, the code that allows me to edit my website allows me to create public items (which you see in the tag cloud) and private items (which only I can see when I log in). I use these private items for a variety of purposes from tracking my to do lists, to brainstorming story ideas, to writing down anything I want to be able to access from any computer. I hope that other people are reading my blog and visiting my website, but more and more I find that the system I use to build the website is useful for me personally. I use it to organize and store data that I want to access anywhere. This is exactly the sort of future that I described above. None of my website (except for backups) is stored on my local PC. It is all stored remotely on the server that hosts my website, which I pay a monthly fee to rent.

The future is coming and the benefits are many: lower costs, reduced waste in the environment, and many more. My only concern is this: what issues of privacy and control of information will arise if computers reverse trend and go from the current decentralized mode to a more centralized "server farm" system? I don't know the answer, but it doesn't worry me greatly. Time Warner already controls my internet access and 1and1 has ultimate control over my website. Information on the internet is not as free and unfettered as it may seem.

On an unrelated note, I would like to notify anyone who follows my running that all running related items will be posted to the tag cloud in brown. The latest race write-up is here. I will try to color code related subjects. Other organizational upgrades are also forthcoming, though I don't know how soon I will get to them.

Other tags this item is listed under include: smartamusement,