On 06/02/06 23:22 -0800, Abhishek Daga wrote:
Computer are not specific purpose devices like toasters or microwaves (Who am I kidding? Even these have become increasingly complicated and ship with manuals. Anyways I digress). A computer is not an appliance which when switched on does the work you want.
it should be - otherwise it is worthless
A computer is a general purpose device. An appliance is a special purpose device. Please be very, very careful about what you are asking for, because the device for the general user != device for the advanced user != device for the programmer.
Actually we need to broaden the definition of a computer here. Here goes my latest example.
Those are appliances. You can't run OOo on the vonage phone. You can't do general purpose computing stuff (aka run random applications) on that phone.
Devdas Bhagat