Undifferentiated personal computers are so cheap that although the idea of a dedicated low-cost Internet access terminal sounds an interesting proposition at first blush, further consideration makes one wonder how much money can be saved by pulling out of a personal computer all the things one does not need for Internet access. Nevertheless, Sun Microsystems Inc is proselytising for machines that would sell for just a few hundred dollars and simply access the Internet and other networks – with Sun’s Java programming language installed, needless to say. The computers would be little more than a microprocessor, support chips and memory, keyboard, screen and a communications connection. While it may take several years for such machines to reach stores, some companies have created prototypes, says Scott McNealy, Sun chairman and chief executive. People are way ahead of us already, he told Dow Jones & Co. I have already seen designs of Java terminals from other companies, and Sun was likely to make such machines itself, McNealy added. In addition, he said, the ability to connect to networks and manipulate Java-based programs could be added to video game machines and other consumer electronics devices at little cost. The concept is that an application would be downloaded whenever needed and dies after use.
