Twenty years ago, the personal computer began to revolutionize the way we work and play. In recent years, though, the Internet has been the primary source of technological innovation, offering us everything from online auctions to networked research libraries. As web-based applications encroach on the desktop's turf and a myriad of smart "devices" perform increasingly computer-like functions, will traditional desktop software begin to fade away? And, what are the implications of moving from a private desktop to Internet-based computing, especially when it comes to sharing personal and financial data and protecting individual privacy?
Those questions were posed during two panels -- one on the future of the desktop, the other exploring the issues surrounding an individual's online persona -- at the recent Supernova 2006 conference, co-hosted by Wharton in San Francisco. None of the panelists offered easy answers, weighing not only the technology challenges but also social and legal issues as they theorized about what the next decade might bring.
Consider the sometimes bewildering variety of increasingly powerful devices used by a typical individual today, both at work and at home: not only desktop and laptop computers, but BlackBerrys, smart cell phones, game boxes, personal music players, digital cameras and so forth. Each of these devices has specialized software -- essentially an operating system -- of its own, noted Lili Cheng, head of the Windows user experience group at Microsoft. "Today, we may think of Microsoft when we think of [personal computer] operating systems, but there are many kinds of operating systems -- on your cell phone, on an Xbox," she said. "The question for the future is how we merge these, how all this specialized software comes together... to support a user experience that includes sharing, synchronizing information, making the experience expand and come alive."
A 'Magic' Blend
The current "chasm" between the web experience and the desktop experience is central, added Kevin Lynch, chief software architect for Adobe Systems.
[continue]
Page 1 of 4
> >>