AOL/Transmeta/Gateway Internet Appliance Launch 113
A reader writes "America Online and Gateway are launching their Linux/Transmeta internet appliance today. The webcast can be seen here." The webcast is in Real Audio - you can also find our original coverage of this, back in late May 2000.
Re:Amazing! (Score:1)
Well, you're right and you're wrong. Transmeta does do something; as mentioned before, they produce chips that practically no company wants to use. Their Crusoe chip has been snubbed by IBM, Toshiba, and Compaq. Why? Perhaps the benefit of having their computer's battery life prolonged by 10 minutes doesn't outweigh the fact that the Crusoe CPU has the raw processing power of a Wal-Mart cordless phone. Of course there's always a need for slow computers, so there's probably sufficient market demand for the chip. For example, people who produce sci-fi movies seem to have an infatuation with computers that run really slow and display the realtime results of whatever bogus scientific calculations they're running. You know what I'm talking about; like when people get a picture of somebody and then try to match that person's face through a database full of other people. The computer will start producing vulgar beeping noises, almost as if it's got a huge gob of snot caught in its sound chip, and then it will begin to sluggishly cycle through the faces of all the people in the database. The computer usually goes slow enough that any mildly retarded human being could manually flip through the records themselves and make a visual match, so I would imagine the CPU running inside the system has to be remarkably underpowered. Well, either that or they've got a lot of crap running in the system tray, like Norton Antivirus or Norton Disk Doctor or Norton Utilities or Norton Virtual Cereal or Norton Does Dallas or whatever. Or even better yet, AOL! Since science fiction movies take place in the future, it'd probably be something ultra-cyber hip like AOL v183! Virtual coolness on the Information Superhighway!
However, Transmeta doesn't only give support for AOL v183, they also do something that many companies can't, at least without help from employees of Gamefan's sales staff: they lose over $43 million a year. Yup, 43 big ones. Actually, I think "big ones" refers to thousands of dollars, not millions, so I can only assume that the term used to describe the word "millions" is even more impressive than "big ones." It's probably something like "gigantic wheelbarrows full of fatties," only less lame.
It continues to amaze me how badly investors want to throw their cash into anything that looks even remotely high-tech, especially considering how all the tech stocks have fallen faster than a Singapore Airlines jet full of overweight Americans. Let's look at AMD for a second. People may not remember back this far, especially if they've been mixing their Tang drink powder with the clear liquid labeled "SOLVENT" under their sink, but AMD at one point in time was a terrible, terrible, terrible chip. The original K-series, even up to the K-3, didn't have enough processing power to display both a flashing cursor AND a mouse pointer icon on the screen at once. Attempting to do so would often result in a comical array of exotic error messages, effectively ending all hopes of using Microsoft Notepad. An easy way to estimate the equivalent Intel Pentium speed of an AMD K-series chip would be to use the following equation:
Equivalent Pentium Speed = ((AMD K-Series Chip Speed) - (AMD K-Series Chip Speed)) + 75
Regardless of what speed chip you bought, it invariably ended up running like a Pentium 75. On the positive side, the K-series chips cost about as much as a supersizing an extra value meal at McDonalds, so it wasn't that huge of a loss. The point I'm trying to make here is that it took AMD years and years to catch up (and eventually overtake) Intel... and this was back when there were only two chipmakers in the market! Oh, and please don't try to claim there were three chipmakers back then, because the only reason anybody used a Cyrix chip was solely to weigh down their motherboard so it wouldn't fly away on a windy day. If it took AMD years to get where they are now, and they only had one competitor, what does that say about Transmeta? They have to go up against two gigantic, hulking heavyweights of computing power, two infinitely large companies that are just waiting for Transmeta to get in the shower of competition and drop the soap of success. How's that for an analogy?
Maybe I just don't understand the way of the industry. Perhaps I'm too stupid to comprehend the mad rush to invest in something that has consistently lost money, is inferior in performance to all competitors, and is in a market dominated by two humongous companies. Do investors simply like underdogs? Do they hate owning money, and is investing in companies like Transmeta easier than going out of their way to find a cliff that they can throw laundry bags full of cash off of? I can't provide an answer to those questions, but I can tell you this: your house probably isn't being robbed.
flaw #1 (Score:1)
Oh no... (Score:1)
I think this could benefit from another year or so of redesign, possibly with QNX or other more appropriately quick and small OS.
http://corp.aol.com/cgi/instantaol.html (Score:1)
Lucky Linus doesn't have a warped set of Morals (Score:1)
Netscape 6.0 launch today too. (Score:1)
Re:Absurd but true... (Score:1)
Re:I will bet large sums... (Score:1)
Linux is a big win when profit margins are thin (Score:1)
Re:Absurd but true... (Score:1)
Just wait for cheap videophones, then you'll have a line of defence.
Does anyone have nonstreaming information on this? (Score:1)
Re:Yet another thin-client desktop... (Score:1)
two off the top of my head:
-wavelan
-symbol technologies (their products are called spectrum 24; they even have a palm pilot that uses 802.11)
Re:No love lost between Aol and M$ (Score:1)
It a natural consequence of MS getting into so many fields.
Do you think Sony is going to like selling PCs with MS windows while competing with the X-Box.
Linux is looking more and more viable every day.
Re:How long? (Score:1)
No one will ever know, but can we expect to start getting a new "COMPLETELY RENEWED, UPGRADED, WITH ALL THE LATEST FEATURES AND BRAND NEW FUNCTIONALITY - PLUS 7,000,000,000 FREE HOURS (in your first month), coppies of RedHat 5.1?
Just currious
E
Re:Lucent the sole provider? (Score:1)
Re:I will bet large sums... (Score:1)
That's because even us sales people at Gateway haven't been told the price. I have seen the actual unit, but not turned on. Looks pretty cool. Has a stylus that is stored in back.
--
alSeen@narnia.net
Re:How long? (Score:1)
Dunno if you were paying attention or not, champ, but this is an AOL/Linux/Transmeta appliance.
Perhaps a better question is, does it run XMMS? =]
Re: Sure to be a hit! (Score:1)
AOL
Gateway
Sure, it doesn't have any real use, etc. but that is exactly what most younger, richer complete morons are looking for. I can see the little morons lining up to get at these things. Knowing that their trusty parents/grandparents will foot the bill for anything that sounds like it's a computer. They also won't have to worry about any of those annoying features like usability, local storage or having any good companies backing it. For the ignorant bastard this is the ideal waste of money. The people who will flock to these are either already losers or have many friends/relatives who are. With two crap-ass (to the technical user) companies behind it these have a lot less going for them than even gateway's own products. All of the failures so far have either been a) unheard of start-ups or b) well known for other things so this product will still fail, but because of the companies backing it it will be a loud, publicized failure.
Of course, this is all just in theory.
Re:You overestimate AOL users. (Score:1)
Actually, a question I tend to hear from AOL users looking into buying a new computer or upgrading... 'Will my AOL go faster?'
Just my two pennies.
--
Dan B.
No Fan (Score:1)
Not having a hard drive also helps keep it cool.
Total world domination (Score:1)
Re:Who'd have thought? AOL linux appliance.... (Score:1)
Maybe those things work for this purpose. I did think there was a reason that people like Linux and Transmeta. I don't think it's all hype, and I think there just might be some /.ers who agree with me.
AOL and linux? (Score:1)
Re:Yet another thin-client desktop... (Score:1)
Define too expensive? Mine cost $99/card, for a total of $300 for three 2Mb 802.11 stations. Checkout the ZoomAir line.
Re:Price!!! (Score:1)
It doesn't matter what you can buy for less, because they don't expect you to buy one. Their target market doesn't want a full PC. In fact, I'm convinced that a full third of AOL's users don't want PCs. PCs are too complicated. They just want AOL, the new electronic gossip fence... another pseudoinformative entertainment appliance like the phone and the TV.
And they don't shop where you do. So, someone who wants AOL and email and might, just might, venture onto the Internet some day, walks, reluctantly, into the local Gateway cow-store, and sees this thing at the low cost end of a row of PCs. They save money and avoid the complexity of a PC. It's a natural. And remember, this market outnumbers Slashdot readers by at least 1000:1.
Re:I will bet large sums... (Score:1)
jred
www.cautioninc.com [cautioninc.com]
caution, inc.
A Reader Writes.... GRRRRR.... (Score:1)
2000-11-10 09:07:42 AOL Releases Transmeta/Linux Webpad TODAY (articles,transmeta) (rejected)
And posting it with plenty of time for you all to see the webcast demo & release live.. and for those of you in NYC to possibly get into it, and bring back reports. Now if I only had the links I included in that article, I might actually be able to make this post more entertaining and informative... grumble.
Your Dogma ran over my Karma!
Re:Absurd but true... (Score:1)
Bad idea on AOL's part (Score:1)
oh boy (Score:1)
Re:Doomed. (Score:1)
What makes AOL think this is going to work?
Why would it not work? They know the nessesary protocols to enable stuff to connect to their proprietory network &tc, they get linux, they screw with the stuff that connects. IE: They modify netscape, (wonder if this has anything to NS6.0 being released). They dont bother with a WM (nfi if this is true.) They rig the machine to boot into runlevel 5 (x i think), they ask for a uname/passwd and viola connection to the net taht is no worse than Win/IE, and i am sure a damn site harder for the ^Luser to screw up.
I sincerely hope that somewhere in Linus's code is something akin to: if (IsAol(this)) delete this;
Yes this would be great wouldnt it, i mean that would make linux look just beautiful to any company that is considering using Linux anywhere, i am aware that what you said is probably a joke, but it is akin to saying, well if we dont like you we reserve the right to not let you use the OS for anything, coz i/we/me/us dont agree with your business (letting idiots connect to the net) or it practices (how damn big are they again?)
Its nice to see the big boys using linux, but to run AOL? What a waste.
A waste? Well let me see what this MAY lead to: better H/W support for linux, did/does not gateway need to ensure that the h/w will work with linux??
With that many ppl who use AOL, (hell even in AU they must be getting ppl thanx to their new adverts on the tube), who would not consider porting some new WonderApp(TM)to Linux, esp if they can get it to work on this AOL box (any answers there?). So running AOL is bad in what way? I mean on this box, not for you but for Grandma? It is not like you have to buy one, it does not hurt linux.
In Summary my thoughts on what this box may do:
* Better h/w support.
* Better application support.
* If it is a success, a huge public offering that everyone can see is running, linux, IE: Free Publicity.
How every version of MICROS~1 Windows(TM) comes to exist.
Re:Amazing! (Score:1)
Not having ever seen/touched/played with a Transmeta CPU, but having looked at a few links on the web, esp places who have played with them esp. the C`t article/benchmark, i personally believe the above remark to be unfounded. If the chip auto scales its speed, and when required can even play DVD movies, it certainly has sufficient power for WebSurfing &tc, hell i mean even when it is running at full speed (if what i read is correct) it draws squat all power, when it is compared to Intel procs (the stoopid speed-step included), it is lean mean and fast. As for the 10 minutes extension, hell, in the real world, it is likely to be a bit more than that, (turn down the brightness of the LCD a bit) and even if it is a 50% increase of battery life (as i am inclined to believe it is) of those laptops that only last 2-3 hiours that is 1-1.5 hours, a damn fuine effort that
How every version of MICROS~1 Windows(TM) comes to exist.
Re:Absurd but true... (Score:1)
Dont foget that this device is probably not SUBSIDISED by AOL, like say the netpliance. I am figuring that GateWay are aiming for $50-100 profit on it, so that when some Linux Hax0r buys one, opens 'er up, and does not read the license agreement, and works out a way to make it useful, they wont loose money on it.
Now taking the bets, how long after it release will it be before someone has a HDD in it, connected to their home network, and runing a multitufe of OS's?
How every version of MICROS~1 Windows(TM) comes to exist.
ugh..i feel dirty (Score:1)
well it isn't static content... (Score:1)
http://stre am. web.aol.com/ramgen/aol/events/instantaol/launch_l
Doesn' t much matter though since it won't even connect for me
Transmeta teaming with MS (Score:1)
Those of you who were wondering why all those Pro-MS slashdot articles in the last couple of days, wonder no more.
Re:Absurd but true... (Score:1)
Absurd pricing! (Score:1)
Looking at the price.... (Score:1)
Re:Show me a picture of the damn thing! (Score:1)
Amazing! (Score:1)
You would think they would try to stay as far away from evil monopoly buisnesses as possible. They're trying to take themselves down as quickly as possible, huh?
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Re:Why Transmeta?? (Score:1)
Re:No wireless? (Score:2)
Telemarketers and Toilets... (Score:2)
Re:Who'd have thought? AOL linux appliance.... (Score:2)
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optional ethernet connection... (Score:2)
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wavelan card access? (Score:2)
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Item 6: 2 out of 3 ain't bad (Score:2)
Performance test? I doubt it. (Score:2)
Doubtful. Web surfing doesn't stress the processor much. What it'll probably be stressing is Netscape plugin code efficiency, when it stresses anything at all.
Show me a picture of the damn thing! (Score:2)
Re:Ethernet available (Score:2)
Even if they are, they could write a really clever EULA that says, in essence, "We own the box. You do not. We own the software. You do not." This would mean that they are not legally distributing any binaries, and are thus not required to release their source code.
Re:Show me a picture of the damn thing! (Score:2)
gawk;find;eval;select;test;talk;ssh;init;make;t
Re more Stories/details (Score:2)
Info world [infoworld.com] and
all net devices [allnetdevices.com]
Uses transmetta processor , is basically a web pad.
Well, I will bet large sums... (Score:2)
Remember, you're not the target audience...
Other (geeky) uses for the net device (Score:2)
2. Infinite access to porn. Its just the right size to replace holding a playboy in one hand. How perfect is that?
3. Ultimate connectivity. No more running back to the bedroom during midnight snacking. There is another computer in the kitchen
4. Look mom, linux is EASIER than windows!
5. Read #4 again, out loud, and beam with joy.
6. Proclaim "ITS ALIVE" as you mix the hottest geek processor, the hottest geek OS, and the WORST online community.
7. FINALLY prove that there CAN be 31337 AOL users.
Okay, so I made #7 up..
Re:Price!!! (Score:2)
Re:Maybe these guys will make it. Netpliance didn' (Score:2)
-Vercingetorix
Re:No wireless? (Score:2)
expect it after january .
Re:I will bet large sums... (Score:2)
Not a Linux guru, but it strikes me that if it has a hard drive, and that hard drive can be extracted and returned to the system unharmed, it can be cracked. Other writable filesystems like compactflash could have the same vulnerabilities.
Mount it on YOUR Linux system as /gizmo, and use YOUR shell (with YOUR root) to do whatever you want to do to that filesystem. Replace /gizmo/etc/passwd, dump a few things in /gizmo/usr/bin and /gizmo/etc/config. Reinstall the hard drive in their hardware, and it's your hardware.
I believe... (Score:2)
At least the touch screens will get them ready for a career of ringing up meals at fast food restaurants.
Hacking the Gateway Web Appliance (Score:2)
Ethernet available (Score:2)
jred
www.cautioninc.com [cautioninc.com]
caution, inc.
Working stream (Score:2)
A related RealPlayer stream (that works) is available on AOL's corporate site [aol.com]. Here are links to the broadband [aol.com]and narrowband [aol.com]versions of the stream.
The presentation, by representatives of Gateway, AOL, Transmeta, and Broadcom, talks about Gateway's vision - the 'Wired Home' - HPNA and 802.11-based home device integration. Play MP3s from your PC, stream DVDs to your TV, get AIM in your kitchen, etc... It has a general introduction to the webpad, too, but it's targeted more at the stockholders and press.
Gateway points out that their Select and Performance series PCs already have HPNA cards integrated.
Of course, being Gateway, they have stated that the whole thing won't work with anything but Gateway PCs. They will have cards and software for other PCs 'sometime in the future'. Personally, I find it hard to believe that their stuff will only work on Gateway PCs. I bet that doesn't leave much oppertunity for open-source clients and servers either.
Calming reassurance... (Score:2)
Oooo! I've got mail! ;)
----
Why Transmeta?? (Score:2)
If the thing's plugged in, who cares how much power it uses!
Just use an uber cheap celeron or something.
Lucent the sole provider? (Score:2)
Apple has been providing 802.11 connectivity in most of their machines for approximately a year and a half. The only machine that they currently sell that you can't add 802.11 to is the cheapest iMac.
Although Apple calls it Airport, it is just an 802.11 card and base station, and works transparently with Lucent hardware. And, Apple sells it cheap. Add a card, plug-n-play, to any Airport capable machine for $99; the base station is $299. Compare those prices to Bluetooth, and since the range is 150 feet rather than 30, I think you've got a pretty good deal.
using phone to network (Score:2)
Old NYT Pic (Score:2)
htt p:/
its wee - but you get a rough idea of the shape... though its probably changed by now
AOL + Transmeta + Linux = Strangle and Extend! (Score:2)
Microsoft takes proprietary technologies and extends/improves them to suck people in.
These guys are taking "open" technologies and closing them up in little boxes that can't be easily extended or improved.
We've tried giving away hardware/software in exchange for ads -- that doesn't work.
We've tried giving away software in exchange for service -- VA Linux and the like don't seem to be fairing well with that model.
What else is left but subscription-based services and cheesy closed "linux" appliances?
Oh well, guess I'm just OVERWHELMED by U.S.-style democracy this week.
You've Got Mail! (Score:2)
# rm -f YouveGotMail.wav
You overestimate AOL users. (Score:2)
This thing is doomed to failure. An untested, unproven processor with an operating system not known for its quickness.
Oh, puh-lease.
Even if everything you say were technically true, you forget the target market.
AOL's advertising catch line is, "So Easy to Use, No Wonder it's #1".
AOL users like their "IRC" client to be full of tacky sound effects like doors opening and closing.
The user interface looks like it was designed by simplifying a preschooler's story book.
And finally, there's the stupid "You've Got Mail" wav that they *love* to throw around everywhere.
I've *never* had an AOL account, and that sound is forever burned into my mind, along with the horrible login ?chimes?.
Bottom line? AOL users like that crap. They're simple enough that it's necessary for their computing experience. They won't notice if the machine happens to be sluggish.
So, on the contrary, this is probably a great place to whet the Transmeta's teeth, since it's really not a demanding appliation, and it certainly isn't as mission critical as a new desktop or notebook. (Imagine, if you will, that the Transmeta is a Pentium 60 with the FDIV fault. It would never be noticed in an internet appliance, though a good spreadsheet would expose it.)
If this thing were to take off, I think you'd find that within a few months there'd be a lot of complaints that it doesn't work as well as promised.I think you overestimate AOL users.
Re:Go away, micro$hit troll! (Score:2)
Quoted from subject line:
Go away, micro$hit troll!Moi? A troll? But of course!
But I take the Microsoft crack personally.
I'm in league with many entities, but I'll have you know that the devil is not one of them.
Re:Absurd but true... (Score:2)
Re:Sure to be a hit! (Score:2)
According to both candidates of the aborted presidental election, it is now clear that all older people in this country are eating dog food and can't even afford the medicine they need to stay alive.
Oh well!
Re:Ethernet available (Score:2)
Of course, they are likely to try to put all of the interesting stuff in loadable modules to avoid this situation as much as possible...alas.
Re:Hacking the Gateway Web Appliance (Score:2)
In any case, of course the company is going to 'forbid' hacking, just to cover their ass on support issues. But for $599, they must be making money on the hardware alone (which iOpener wasn't, they were losing money). Yeah, the display probably sets them back a bit, but also consider it has no internal harddrive, etc.
No matter how you look at it, this thing seems very unlikely to be successful. $599 is an awful lot for a limited use 'appliance' when compared to full-blown low end PCs for sale these days.
Re:Maybe these guys will make it. Netpliance didn' (Score:2)
It's a real stretch to call the crap that's been released so far an 'internet appliance.' More like network computers.
Let me know when the high-speed, wireless webpads with touch LCD screens and instant-on capabilities show up! These real internet appliances will be rolling out in 2001. Let the games begin!
-thomas
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."
An interesting little device, for $599 (Score:2)
Anyway, it seems to be aimed at somebody who already has a PC, and wants an Internet access device elsewhere in the house. It'll be cool to see how it gets hacked...
Re:Absurd pricing! (Score:2)
Apparently this is targeted not as a PC replacement, but a PC supplement; think of it as a limited terminal instead of a PC. What will be neat is to see if it can be hacked to work as an X terminal.
Re:Maybe these guys will make it. Netpliance didn' (Score:2)
So, it's aimed at a different market segment. Whether that will help or not remains to be seen...
Price!!! (Score:2)
Stream broadcasts "Please Try Again Later"..... (Score:2)
Re:AP Story (Score:3)
According to the AP story [yahoo.com] you posted:
"The device"..."can use either a traditional dial-up connection or, when networked with a PC, a high-speed Internet connection."
I was thinking: if it really could 'only' be used with an AOL connection, it should be trivial to see how this linux box connects to AOL, and therefore give us the ability to connect to AOL via linux (thus allowing for grandmother to use a nice OS and her favorite Online Service).
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If Bill Gates had a nickel for every time Windows crashed...
Yet another thin-client desktop... (Score:3)
I think what most of us would like would be a "web tablet"; something about the form factor of a tablet of paper with 802.11 connectivity to a base station of some sort.
If it weren't for the ridiculous expense of 802.11 (as Lucent is the sole provider I know of these days), I'd turn my iPaq PocketPC into a small version of what I describe above.
802.11 is too damned expensive.
Who'd have thought? AOL linux appliance.... (Score:3)
I wonder if this is a genuine effort, or just an attempt to dumb down these cool technologies for the average AOL brain-dead users...
How long? (Score:3)
Also, will this be a good test of transmeta's performance finally?
What ability will there be for people to upgrade the software (netscape 6 anyone?)?
Is winamp included?
But most importantly of all (I just COULDNT resist) -- I wonder what a beowolf cluster of these would do for Seti@home?
:)
Re:Absurd but true... (Score:3)
And unless you have an rj-11 jack and power source near the toilet, you won't be flaming with this device either. This device is not a portable device like the much-touted wireless WebPads will be, this is a table-top device with a footprint that allows you to use it in places besides the typical office desk. You don't be carrying this into the kitchen to do a grocery list unless you want to power the unit down, unplug it, carrry it into the kitchen, plug it in, power it up, etc.
Re:Who'd have thought? AOL linux appliance.... (Score:3)
Its a genuine effort the part of AOL to leverage three really stunning buzz words to sell their product: Linux, Internet Appliance, and Transmeta.
Unfortunately for them, I think they've really confused their audience. If the customer is actually supposed to get attracted by the idea of Linux and Transmeta, they won't have anything to do with AOL. Conversely, the people attracted to an "Internet Appliance" probably don't have the slightest idea what Linux or Tranmeta means.
What they've created is an internet appliance that opens up the internet to non-tech savy consumers. Sort of an "I-Opener". Wait a minute
Maybe these guys will make it. Netpliance didn't (Score:3)
I can see the Trolls now... (Score:3)
Sure to be a hit! (Score:3)
Gateway
Sure, it doesn't have any local storage, etc. but this is exactly what most older or less technically inclined people are looking for. I can already see Grandmas lining up to get at these things. Knowing that their trusty grandson/daughter geek won't have to come over and set anything up like they would with a pesky computer. They also won't have to worry about any of those annoying worms/trojan horse/MS macro or script viruses. For the ignorant internet user this is the ideal solution. The people who will flock to these are either already AOL users or have many friends/relatives who are. With two well known (to the common person) companies behind it these have a lot more going for them than any of the others. All of the failures so far have either been a) unheard of start-ups or b) well known for other things and people just weren't sure anout this new venture.
Of course, this is all just in theory.
Re:How long? (Score:3)
In any case, I haven't seen any indiciation that it would.
What To Do??!?! (Score:3)
what? It's AOL?!?
It's AOL! IT SUCKS!
Did you say Transmeta?
OH GOD! WHAT DO I DO?!?!
Re:Show me a picture of the damn thing! (Score:3)
And apparently it will connect to AOL through a broadband ISP hookup, so disabling the connection to AOL shouldn't be too hard. A hard drive will probably be harder, but if you can instead get it to work as an X terminal...
built in home phone networking, optional ethernet (Score:4)
In addition, it has optional ethernet, and dial up (V90). So I don't think you're too limited here for connectivity.
BTW, lots of PC's come with home phone line networking built in. My brother's Presario 7597 has a combo v90 modem/home phone line networking card plus ethernet built in. In any case, a lot of people will be able to plug these devices into their pc's pretty easily to share a broadband connection.
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Absurd but true... (Score:5)
The reason why the unit is priced at $600 is that it costs a fair bit of money to put together:
Consider the pricing on PDAs; this unit potentially does a lot more than the Compaq iPAQ units that are priced at around $500.
I don't disagree that the price is pretty painful; the point is that Portability Costs. You can't take that $500 AMD K6-based system into the bathroom and flame people on Slashdot whilst "on the throne." You can't carry it into the kitchen and write up a list of groceries to get. Lots of can'ts there.
Gateway Appliance (Score:5)
-Kris
Re:Other (geeky) uses for the net device (Score:5)
FINALLY prove that there CAN be 31337 AOL users
Yea, but you are really going to confuse a Linux user that hasn't heard the news yet.
"Yea I run LINE-NU-X"
"Cool what distro you run"
"AOL 6.0, IT IS EASIER THEN EVER"
"Uh, I don't understand, you run that buggy AIM client on it? Have you tried GAIM? Why are you shouting?"
"NO AOL LINE-NU-X 6.0!"
"Um what kernel? what proc?"
"AOL KERNEL 6.0! PROCESSER IS GATEWAY!"
"Are you sure? Do you see a bunch of clouds when you boot up?"
"WHEN I TURN ON THE MACHINE I SEE A HAPPY PENGUIN HUGGING THE AOL LOGO!!!"
"Why are you shouting, what the hell are you talking about?"
"I AM TALKING ABOUT LINE-NU-X 6.0 NO WONDER IT IS NUMBER ONE IT IS SO EASY TO USE!!!"
"Did Fred in programming down the hall set you up to this? How much did he pay you?"
"WHAT ?!?!?! FRED DOESN'T DIAL UP TO LINE-NU-X 6.0 INTERNET SERVICE!"
I will bet large sums... (Score:5)
AP Story (Score:5)
"...works only with Internet service provided by America Online..."
Give me 5 minutes. =)