Thursday, February 07, 2008

Time For The Thin Client

So, US Customs Agents are searching and confiscating laptops and phones.

Articles like these make two things clear: The current US government is an enemy to it's own people. And it's time to move forward into a completely net-centric computing model.

I'm so completely opposed to the warrantless search of electronic devices I can't even speak about it. So let's leave it by the side of the blog and move on to the people's solution: stop carrying your data with you.

It's not easy today. The net is not ubiquitous. That makes accessing your data difficult. But it's certainly possible, as the article suggests, to travel with raw laptops with absolutely nothing on them. One simply needs to connect to a VPN (Virtual Private Network) and access all of the data safely and remotely (if somewhat slowly.)

Actually, the ideal device for this is the iPhone or the new iPod Touch. I bought the iPod Touch for my wife and it's shockingly simple to use the web interface to connect to my companies exchange server and use my email and calendar. I use gmail as a default file storage system - so there's no need to lug around the data - it's all sitting there. It fits in one's pocket or on one's handy utility belt (next to the Bat-a-rangs). My bet: within 3 years and no more than 5, this will be the most widespread model of computing - laptops will be largely sessile.

OK, back to the government. Remember this? That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it. Time to get altering.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Mostly Cloudy

Testing - trying for embedded weather forecast: