The network computer (NC) won’t make it in corporate networks. At least not in the way you think it will. Don’t get me wrong, the NC has wide applicability and relevance far beyond its immediate target—the Wintel desktop. Standards and portable applications have been my own personal hot button for years, and it’s refreshing to see the market validate open systems to a greater or lesser degree.
However, at issue here is the fact that most corporate shops and industry outlets look at the total cost of ownership as the be-all and end-all of the NC. True, user support, technical infrastructure and administration are less onerous in the NC scenario, but by how much? The NC may reduce these problems, but it will not eliminate them.