Dreamcast as a Web Browser? 31
Chris asks: "Last Christmas
I gave my grandmother a cheap Windows PC with the hope that she would
begin conversing with the rest of the family (some on the other side
of the country) via e-mail. I don't believe she has turned it on
since I was last over there, several months ago. So, this Christmas, I'm giving
her a Dreamcast (only $50!) so she can use the Internet from the
comfort of her television. I'm wondering if it will be easier for her
to use the PlanetWeb browser that comes with the system (version 2) or
should I install Linux or netBSD on it and give her a real browser?
Ease of use is the single most important thing here. Hardware-wise,
she'll be getting the unit, 1 VMU, 1 controller, and the keyboard.
Thanks." It's good to see the Dreamcast hardware finding other uses
with Sega out of the business; however do you think the Dreamcast
would make a decent browser? Update: 12/25 02:50 GMT by C :Perhaps
talk of the Demise of the Dreamcast comes a bit prematurely, at least
according to this
article from Gameswire.
ease of use and linux in the same sentence? (Score:1, Insightful)
maybe.. (how tolerant of being powered off unexpectedly etc is Linux on Dreamcast ?)
Re:ease of use and linux in the same sentence? (Score:2)
Re:ease of use and linux in the same sentence? (Score:2)
Heck, Lik Sang sells a DC to PS/2 adapter [lik-sang.com] so he could set her up with one of those nice wireless keyboards.
As for being powered off unexpectedly, I doubt that the OS will care, what with it being on read-only media. And as long as grandma doesn't turn off the DC while it's writing Mozilla or PPP prefs, then it should be fine.
Re:ease of use and linux in the same sentence? (Score:1)
seriously, how will a Dreamcast cope with power being cut whilst the NVRam is being written to?
spare us the tedious rants (Score:1, Insightful)
In order to achieve real usability and robustness, you need to customize systems. UNIX and Linux are up to it. With Windows, you get a one-size-fits-all user interface that works really well for nobody.
The real question should be: why are people justified with something as primitive and limited as Windows?
Re:spare us the tedious rants (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:spare us the tedious rants (Score:2)
As for what "embedded systems" are and what they run, there is obviously a wide spectrum of them. Some don't run much of an OS. Others are full multitasking systems with GUIs, used for applications like data entry, high-end medical devices and scanners, surveillance, and vehicle control. Both NT and UNIX play in that space. When NT is used for those applications, a lot of its desktop heritage shows through; after all, what's the point of using NT if you don't use its "industry standard, advanced development environment (Visual C++)" as Microsoft likes to call it? This is usually not to NT's advantage.
Re:spare us the tedious rants (Score:2)
ISP's say 'Ick' to Dreamcast. (Score:1)
Re:ISP's say 'Ick' to Dreamcast. (Score:1)
-marius
Re:An idea... (Score:2)
I think the best I have seen for e-mail only has been those Cidco Mailstations. I have no idea of teh requirements for the ISP except that I think they have their own. These things do E-mail ONLY and they even dial out on their own every once in a while to check the box. Messages can be typed in and sent now, or later as well (I think!:))!
Get a mouse (Score:1)
I haven't gotten around to putting a UNIX on it yet, but I'm rather sure that things aren't to an extremely usable state either. I'd think you'd be better off using the software that came with it.
Or you could just pick up the phone... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Or you could just pick up the phone... (Score:3, Insightful)
Little side note: my grandfather had five daughters. Never spoke about his experiences in the So. Pacific (enlisted when he was 15 or 16. They didn't ask a lot of questions in those days) I went to university about ten miles from his house, so would frequently stop by for Sunday dinner. Over the year or so, he spoke to me more about his experiences than he had to any other human in 50+ years.
So the moral of the story: fuck the browser. Go visit the old lady.
What manufacture date Dreamcast? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:What manufacture date Dreamcast? (Score:1)
Re:What manufacture date Dreamcast? (Score:1)
Paradaigm Shift for Grandma (Score:1, Insightful)
drive an automatic?
use the microwave?
use a hair dryer?
go to the stylist when she needs her hair done?
use an electric can opener?
turn up the thermostat, or put on another sweater?
Beginning to see a pattern here? Computers aren't for everyone.
Plus not everyone wants to send emails to other people. To email grandma, create a font of your handwriting, print out an email to her, mail it to her instead. Rinse and repeat.
Re:oh my god are you retarded (Score:1)
You Rule... My new quote of the week. "and YES, this is a flame, so bite me" can I purchase rights to this or is it Open Source?
Happy Kwanza!
Re:oh my god are you retarded (Score:1)
modem drivers? (Score:1)
I have no experience with running NetBSD on my dc, but a quick check of the page seems to indicate that it too lacks modem drivers.
Without a doubt, go for the standard Sega tools and utilities. Its cool to be able to run Linux and emulators, but believe me, you are well aware during the experience that you are running these ports on a gaming console. You have no permanent storage, I believe drivers are in the works to allow you to use the vmu, but they're small anyway. Thus, you can't save settings (network connectivity information), unless you load information over the network using the broadband adapter or a special serial device you can order from Lik Sang, but I think these requirements certainly exceed the scope of the project you're undertaking.
Good luck and let us know what you end up doing, and if you're successful in getting your grandmother online, I've got a couple of similar situations in my family.
hmmm (Score:2)
Heh, I did this a couple of years ago... (Score:3, Funny)
Brian
grandmas and computers (Score:1)
Er.. (Score:2)
- A.P.