Uncreative Labs

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:23 am

There are a lot of details and aspects of new PCs and modern computer technology in general that I don't find a lot to like about. What would things be like if I was in charge, though? Forgive me for letting off steam...

Windows 98, ME, and XP would never have existed. In the place of the former two, Microsoft would have released Windows 95d: Implementing full USB support, fixing previously overlooked faults such as the lack of an uninstall option for Internet Explorer, and sold in retail stores. Windows 2000 would have fulfilled its original premise of "merging" the consumer and business-oriented OS lines together, and would have maintained the exact user interface from Windows 95 and NT 4.0 with no web integration or unremovable accessories whatsoever. Exclusive OS-bundling stipulations would not exist, and many OEMs would allow the sale of computers with OS/2, or a Linux distribution, or nothing at all in lieu of Microsoft Windows.

The premise of pre-installing web browsers would be left to the computer manufacturer, along with all other considerations of bundled software. OEMs would have the option of pre-installing Mozilla Firefox, or Internet Explorer, or both, or neither, or something else, at their own discretion. Mozilla Firefox would maintain the majority of user share, and would probably still be called Netscape Navigator given the different circumstances leading up.

In terms of hardware, all cases and associated components would conform to standardized form factors. Nearly all conventional PCs would be available in the choice of both desktop and tower cases with identical expansion capabilities. All cases would have a reset button. Modems and sound cards would exist only as distinct, dedicated pieces of hardware not dependent upon software or CPU emulation to function. Most computer manufacturers based in North America would base their support and assembly operations in North America as well.

Traditional parallel, serial, and PS/2-type connectors would remain standard on all PCs for the connections of indispensible devices such as keyboards, mice, and printers. The USB standard would be reserved for specific uses where it has a compelling advantage, such as flash memory devices and simple webcams. Computer manufacturers would strive to include a built-in SCSI port for the connection of scanners, external storage devices, and other high-speed accessories, just like on (older) Macintosh computers. All desktop PC keyboards would have 101 full-sized keys.

Computers of both the desktop and laptop varieties from all major OEMs would be made of quality components and routinely last for a decade with no need for service. If and when a hardware-related fault arises, an advanced computer user would always be able to fix it on his or her own.

If at least some of those things were true, I'd be a little bit happier and more enthusiastic about computer technology today. Neutral

Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:05 am

I would keep most of computing history the same. The why is simple: Without your past mistakes and regrets, you would not be who you are today. Mistakes must be made for learning to occur.

Windows 95, 98, and ME are all versions of Windows where Microsoft learned quite a bit. They learned they can't trust the programmer, multiple users WILL use the same computer, and they like feeling as though it's all theirs, the world is full of users--not geeks and many other things.

As for the web browsers, allowing the user to decide is nice, but it's sure helpful to have IE on a system BY DEFAULT to allow the user to decide. I remember downloading Netscape Communicator for the first time. IE had a download bug where files of 12 MB wouldn't download correctly. I had to download Netscape Navigator 3.04 (Or was it 1.22?) to download Netscape Communicator. Without it, no Netscape. Without Netscape, no Mozilla.

I do agree about wishing the keyboard and mouse used the good ol' standard (now) PS/2 ports. I don't think you need them on USB to draw power, take up a port and possibly slow things down (device communication isn't free). Scanners and printers are ok on USB, but I don't really see where the printer will ever communicate slower than its print heads can print... Parallel should be fine.

References:
Why you have to click the start button to shut down:
http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2003/07/22/54559.aspx

Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Posts: 138 Location: Lynnwood,WA

Here's my way........

Chassis - Full size AT, 500 Watt Power Supply. Motherboard screws into the chassis like an ATX board, but has a DIN-5 jack and 8 slots like an old XT board, however, there would be a PS/2 mouse jack located next to it. Cases could be made in such a way that they could be converted from Desktop to Tower easily in the factory, thus reducing production costs, yet keeping quality high. The base of the chassis and top panel would be made out of steel, not coke can aluminum, the aluminum would be saved for the braces for the motherboard, and for the Disk drive mounts. There would be a reset and power switch on the front, and a pair of Blue and Orange LED's for power and HDD activity. Cases would come in Beige, Black, White, or Silver, and would be made to look like computers and not some krazy Superhero Mask with a floppy diskette slot for a mouth.

Motherboard - The motherboard would be a regular AT class motherboard, socketed CPU for upgrading, no slots. The CPU would be located right next to the power supply in the classic XT position, with the RAM located below it in angled DIMM Slots like how they used to do 72 pin SIMMS (to allow the extra length of cards to pass over, and allow the DIMMS to be close enough to use the board space to speed up DMA). All stuff not neading tampered with with speed in consideration would be moved under the drive cage on the far side. All the connectors for LED's, switches, and case fans would be located on the far edge near the side of the case where easily found and accessed, with a clear guide on how to hook them up, though I'd probably prefer just to have one fan use a power connector on the motherboard, the CPU, anything else using a sensor is overkill. The Keyboard uses a DIN-5, the Mouse uses a Mini DIN, and if room, on-board IDE would be installed and designed to the most recent standard, and can automatically detect hard disks of any size and type. The CMOS battery, would be located next to the motherboard, so if it leaks, it harms the bottom of the case, not the motherboard.

- Add In Cards. Cards would have ONE part to them, that of which they wer eintended for, no combo cards unless they are closely related (like a Video Capture Card that doubles 3-D accelerated Graphics card). That way, if anything fails, just pull the old part and put a new one in, and you are done. All cards would have extra dip-switches or jumpers on them to allow them to be manually configured to work in old PC's, or allow precise control of IRQ assignments in heavily armed machines.

- Diskette Drives - There would ALWAYS be support for TWO Floppies of either 720K, 360K, 1.2M, or 1.44M on the controller. 5.25" drives would be availible at request, and 3.5" drives would be standard equiptment removable at option.

- USB & Firewire would be considered interfaces for high performance graphics peripherals, no more, and no less. Modems and Mice could and would still use the standard serial DB-9 port if chosen to, and PRinters would still use the robust secutiry of the IEE-standard Parallel Bi-Directional port.

- Windows would have waited a little longer, and released Windows 98 first, except without IE integrated into it. There would be no quick-launch feature, and the registery would be reserved for only a few things, and not designed for the shady business practices it's used for now. Software would be picked and chosen according to taste of the consumer, not to the wants of the manufacturer.

Basically, there's a lot I'd change.