Word: nc
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Instead of storing files on a hard drive, the NC will save it on a secure server on the Internet. When you need to access it, the NC retrieves it. Large software programs like Microsoft Word would be replaced by efficient "applets" written in Java or another Internet programming language, and downloaded on a per-use basis...
This means that most students also understand the fatal flaw in the NC model: the assumed reliability of the network itself. Students who use the Internet for Web browsing and e-mail can live with "Site Not Found" and "Mail Server Unavailable" errors most of the time...
...imagine if you had an important problem set or paper stored on a remote hard disk and needed to access it. If the network went down, your NC would cough politely and tell you to check back later...
Consumers have been wary about trusting credit card numbers to the Internet for online purchases. But NC proponents think users will gladly trust their important files and data to what is, at heart, an unreliable system. Chances are, they'll be in for a rude awakening...
Like home computers of old, the NC won't be as expandable as a desktop computer. It'll do a great job for surfing the Internet and light writing tasks. But chances are many users will soon outgrow these lightweights and buy a PC after...