Strategic Computing and Communications Technology Group H: Standards Final Report
The network computer is an interesting case study. Today, there are currently two competing network computer standards created by two competing technology webs.
The NC Reference Profile ("NC") [1] was created by the Oracle/Sun/Apple/IBM/Netscape technology web. It is a collection of already existing standards and was created as a proactive attempt to lessen Wintel's domination of the personal computer market.
As expected, the NC hardware standards are open allowing NC manufacturers to build a machine without requiring an Intel-compatible microprocessor. Following are the NC hardware standards:
As expected, the primary software standard of the NC is the requirement that it run the Java Application Environment. Below is a list of the NC software standards.
The NetPC [2] standard was developed by the Intel/Microsoft technology web, sometimes referred to as Wintel.
As one would expect, the hardware standards of the NetPC are more restrictive than those for the NC Reference Profile. The Pentium-equivalent standard is self-explanatory. The system memory requirement guarantees that the NetPC can run a Microsoft Windows-type product. Following are the NetPC hardware standards.
The software standard is as expected:
Clearly, each technology web has created its standard according to its own agenda. Both are metastandards -- they contain no new protocols but are simply lists of other standards. Metastandards will become increasingly common as more low-level standards are settled.
Both standards are also somewhat nebulous. The NetPC standard, for example, could describe machines as powerful as multiprocessor Pentium Pro-based servers, while the NC Reference Profile 1 could easily be applied to a home game machine with the right cartridge. Neither addresses mobility issues.