Probably, for all who can afford them at the current commodity prices. But, get the hardware down to under $100 US for a 1GHz box with 256MB of RAM and 40GB hd with a NIC and sound, monitor extra, and sales may pick up. Third world countries would have to have an economy that needs computerizing, which would require a credit and retail sales infrastructure with roads and transportation to support them. A person making less than $1,000 US probably doesn't have a computer at the top of their needs list. Sub $100 computers possible? I think so, and within a decade. I saw a photo of a paper phone today, which they plan to sell at supermarket counters for under $10, including 60 minutes of time. No bigger than a credit card and unfolds like a short stack of fan-fold printer paper! JLK On Friday 09 March 2001 21:06, you wrote:
I wonder if the computer "revolution" is not now in saturation. Probably everyone who wanted a computer now has one, and most businesses probably have machines that are as fast as they need. Particularly if they are running Win 95 instead of Win2K. It is now only those who really have need of superfast machines that will buy replacements. True, there are business aps that require new fast machines, but how frequently do these appear, compared to office aps that are now fulfilled? And perhaps business people are beginning to detect the uselessnes of upgrading Windows every year or two. Especially since WinME is a DOWNgrade in many respects.
de wa2say
At 16:35 03/09/2001 -0500, you wrote:
Intel Cutting 6% of Jobs Amid Widening Slump
Saying that the slump in PC sales has spread to networking, communications, and servers, chipmaker Intel is warning that first-quarter revenue won't meet expectations, and that it will cut 5,000 jobs over the next nine months.
Intel says revenue for the quarter should be down about 25% from the fourth quarter's $8.7 billion. It had said that revenues would drop 15%.
Intel execs were not immediately available to comment. During an Intel conference last week, CEO Craig Barrett said the U.S. economy was experiencing a "definite slowdown," but he vowed at the time not to cut R&D or investments in manufacturing capacity. On Thursday, however, the company said it would snip 2% off R&D this year, to $4.2 billion from the $4.3 billion originally planned. Intel said it won't reduce capital spending, which remains at $7.5 billion for the year. - Paul McDougall
-- Fred A. Miller Systems Admin. Cornell Univ. Press Services fm@cupserv.org