Re: The Intel Web ApplianceTuesday January 4th, 2000Some people have submitted news regarding the Intel "web-appliance" mentioned in Netcenter's TechNews section. You may recall that we reported on this way back in September -- "Nokia's 'MediaScreen' Proof-Of-Concept Uses Mozilla". A month later, Intel and Nokia were working on "set-top" solutions -- "the Nokia/Intel 'set-top' venture". A month after that, they were called an "Internet-enhanced television solutions" -- "Confirmed: Nokia Using Mozilla in New Internet Devices". Now, two months after the last press release, they're "web appliances", looking more like the original "Media Screen" announcement. Whatever the name, at each iteration they're using Linux at their core, and Mozilla as their browser. It seems the core of the strategy is lower cost of ownership, and Nokia and Intel still believe that that can only come from a free OS with a free browser. Gateway's formerly-named Amiga subsidiary (they just sold the name a few days back) is working with Sun/Gateway and AOL (at least) for an "information appliance" software operating environment based on -- you guessed it -- Linux, Java, and, quite likely, Mozilla as well. I think it's a Linux future, boys and ghouls. Kovu, I had a feeling that Gateway was going to drop the Amiga. I don't think the new owners are interested in using linux as their next OS. I think it's Elate (yet another OS you've never heard of) Ariel, they sold the name but kept the patents, which Amiga will license from Gateway. Gateway really didn't "drop" anything except the name Amiga, the domain names, etc. The software OE built on Linux is still well underway, in fact it's almost done. And it looks as if the new owners of the AmigaOS intend to open source it, and make a new Amiga machine to boot. Whether they choose to make a new OS based on QNX or whatever, I don't know, but Amiga (the new one) has said they intend to outline their plans on the 8th at the CES in Las Vegas. I'll be interested to see what they'll do, but my allegiance will stay with the Gateway OE. Having seen the 17 patents so far released on the software architecture for it, I'm drooling for it, and the fact that it is not called Amiga anymore will not stop that. Remember that AOL sunk $800 million in Gateway for collaboration on numerous things including information appliance technologies. I would not be surprised at all -- in fact I anticipate -- Gateway's OE using Mozilla. I just wish they'd announce it. AOL is so damned tight-lipped. It's too bad it won't be called Amiga though. It was definitely worthy of the name, although you shouldn't rule out Amiga using the new OE on top of another OS (the OE is supposed to be portable to other OSs besides Linux). |