I might be wrong, but isn't that the same model that most *nix & bsd systems follow? Same basic terminal, with a GUI over it?

I did my degree in computer science at Heriot Watt in Scotland, where it was frowned upon to use anything but linux. Basically every lecturer encouraged and used some variant of it, usually pushing fluxbox and terminal use. Great uni.

Funny thing is, when you look at the cost of installing and maintaining current gen industrial robotics it more often that not works out cheaper to just keep the current human workforce! Then if you had people operating machines previously, you can retrain them to be technicians for the robots. So their will be jobs for some of them. This may change as robots become more advanced, but not likely for a long time. Especially when you keep in mind the fact that the majority of robots are just arms. I highly doubt that people would starve or simply become state funded layabouts however. There will always be low level rubbishy jobs that will require a human presence.

Of course it will run linux. Slide out screen will function the same way as running dual monitors. Finger print scanner? HP has had them for years. So have lenovo probably. Infact I've seen linux software to run finger print scanners in the past! Wacom tablet? Bloody well ought to. Everything else will be fine. Don't understand why you were modded insightful.