Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Thomas Beckett <thomas AT tbeckett.com>]

At 01:30 AM 3/22/2002 -0500, you wrote:
> What really makes/breaks the whole network appliance idea is a cheap
> relatively high resolution screen (600x800 would be fine) so that you
> can actually read text on the screen, which is what so much of the
> web/email experience is about.
>
> There's still one other point, though -- MS doesn't bring the wire in
> to people's houses.

        That is the point.  Time-Warner owns the wire and the 
set-top.  AOL owns the email.  MS owns the desktop.  They're both trying to 
establish a dominant position in the living room.  Xbox is a play for the 
set-top/information appliance.  It doesn't matter that the resolution is 
poor for now.  They want to be there when that problem is fixed.  As does 
AOL/TW.  If MS wins, they can charge AOL/TW for space on the set-top.  If 
AOL wins, then MS is relegated to the desktop.  Of course, MS will be there 
doing a lot of the network services stuff upstream.

TaB