Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!hplabs!hpda!hptsug2!taylor
From: eugene@eos.arc.nasa.gov (Eugene Miya)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: "Personal" Computers
Message-ID: <483@hptsug2.HP.COM>
Date: 30 Aug 88 21:06:08 GMT
Sender: taylor@hptsug2.HP.COM
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Calif.
Lines: 21
Approved: taylor@hplabs

Earlier I wrote:

> There will be fast computers and fast/cheap computers.

I feel I must revise this.  While reading Kidder and driving around
with a fellow programmer, I conclude there will be a third class of 
computer:

	The compatible

The compatible isn't the plug compatible, or the clone, it will be a
computer which exactly emulates the object code of dusty machines,
mostly critically needed in life situations:  I'm think of FAA air
traffic control, process control (BART, MARTA, the WDC Metro, etc.)
medical, and to a lesser extent things like payroll.  The problem being
that these situations have in some cases used very specialized
computers, and real time programming isn't well established.  To a
lesser extent this will include dusty card deck payroll programs.  We 
will see more compatibility modes to make up for this, more virtual 
machine front-ends, etc.

Eugene Miya