Comments on: Web Work in a Post-PC World

By: responsible citizen

responsible citizen — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 07:11:06 +0000

It depends on the job. The laptop did not displace the desktop computer for many workers. Small screens didn’t lead to a decline in multi-headed computers with vast screen real estate. There are simply a range of jobs that require a lot of sit-down-and-analyze-and-edit tasks, whether its programming, finance, architecture, editing, publishing, mapping, or other “white collar” and “pink collar” jobs.

It won’t make sense for the sales force to haul around laptops when they have mobile phones with good screens. It won’t make sense for most “normal” (read, non-analytical) people to get a desktop or even laptop computer, when they’re going to use it for word processing and web surfing.

There are plenty of people who will delight in not being forced into the computer mold, because they don’t need a computer. But there are also a lot of people who use the computer for something besides playing music and videos, and chatting with friends. They want a computer for computer things, and want the computer to be even more computer-like, if possible. They want more disk, to index more data, to have more, large databases available to them instantly. They want more screen real estate, faster pipes, and more CPUs, so that the computer can keep up with their information requirements.

And, these people will be getting the computers, because there are so many more small non-computer-like computers out there.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 22:01:28 +0000

ROFLMAO — Not at you Mike, for all that I know on the subject you could be, as we like to say around here SpotOn! The reason that I am laughing is that I can see it now… everyone with a Pumpkin Spice Latte, No whip and a HMD to go along with that low fat Starbucks muffin!!!

You never know…

By: Work in a WiMax Enabled World |

Work in a WiMax Enabled World | — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:52:28 +0000

[...] 7, 2007Work in a WiMax Enabled World WebWorkerWorld has been a voice for a bit of antidisestablishmentarianism. But it is an interesting read none the [...]

By: Liz Greer

Liz Greer — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:05:50 +0000

Even if I weren’t tethered to the office by technology, I would still like being in my office (at least most of the time). I don’t really want to be wandering about – I want to concentrate on my work. That requires a dedicated space, where I have complete control over distractions (obsessive checking of Google analytics notwithstanding), temperature, noise, etc. I need the physical space in order to get grounded on whatever intellectual task I’m trying to accomplish.

Other web workers that I know can’t concentrate without the low-level din of a barrista shouting coffee orders.

The biggest boon to web workers about having untethered options, I think, is that we now get to match our technnology tools to our unique personalities and workstyles.

By: Steve Stroh

Steve Stroh — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:08:11 +0000

I think devices such as the iPhone will soon be full-featured enough to be a full-fledged work device, provided that one can easily interface them with comfortable human input/output devices. As you point out, with Wi-Fi and eventually WiMAX, EVDO, and HSPA, Broadband connectivity to the Internet is / will be included. Unfortunately, as far as I’m aware) there isn’t yet a universal wireless interface for displays, but wireless USB is coming soon, and Bluetooth is here now and will work with keyboards and mice. I don’t think that the iPhone yet supports Bluetooth keyboards or mouse, but that’s likely just a matter of time, and perhaps Apple will settle the wireless display interface issue also. Add some way for the iPhone to access a USB Flash Drive (perhaps via a Wi-Fi hub that has a USB port), and at that point the iPhone is a (good enough for me) work computer.