Consumer computers: January 05, 1998 issue of New Thinking

January 05, 1998 New Thinking:
Consumer computers

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January 05, 1998

Consumer computers

By Gerry McGovern

According to Computer Intelligence, in January 1997, 7.2 percent of PCs were selling for less than USD1,000, while 18.9 percent were selling for more than USD2,000. By October, 35.8 percent were selling for less than USD1,000 and 8.5 percent were selling for more than USD2,000.

By any stretch of the imagination, these are extraordinary trends.

As if by accident, we have witnessed in 1997 the year that the computer started to become a mass-market product. I say ‘as if by accident’ because I feel the computer industry has not exactly tried very hard to make the computer a consumable.

At times it has seemed that the last thing the industry wanted was John Doe or Mary Soap buying their product. Computers were and are still hard to use. It would seem that many programmers and designers wanted them that way, so as to keep the great unwashed away. Most computers still come in one color, just like the Ford motor car used to.

But in 1997 it all began to change and in 1998 that change will alter the face of the computer industry forever. It will rock the industry and those within it, slapping them onto Main Street and shaking them awake to the needs and wants of consumers.

In some ways, the last ten years or so has been a game between Microsoft and Intel. ‘We make a faster chip and you make fatter software. We make a faster chip and you make fatter software.’ The buyer was caught like some addict, forced to upgrade just to stay normal.

This ruse was able to continue because it was hidden by the fact that the price of processing was going down. In reality, we ended up paying the same price for a faster machine that did essentially the same job. And we ended up paying that price again and again. We were running to stand still.

That won’t be good enough in the consumer market. People will want things that work every time they switch them on, just like their TV. They’ll want plug ‘n’ play, not plug ‘n’ pray.

It would be wonderful if the computer industry started paying a bit more attention to the consumer. It would be wonderful if they stopped navel-gazing. It would be wonderful if they stopped trying to invent new toys just so that they can show them off at Comdex. It would be wonderful if the computer industry took a breather from racing down the highway of the faster chip and fatter software.

The computer industry should seriously consider refining what has been achieved, rather than constantly reaching for the next level. Because the vast majority of consumers don’t buy Ferraris; they buy ordinary cars that get them to work and back.

The big hardware manufacturers should look closely at what Psion has achieved, what Sega, Nintendo and the Sony Playstation have achieved. These companies have delivered products that are value for money. Are computers ‘value for money?’

Consumer computers must be so simple even an adult can figure out how to use them. They need to work every time and deliver value for money. If not, expect Joe and Mary Average on the phone. Someone pray for the support people and the support bill.

Gerry McGovern

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Consumer computers must be so simple even an adult can figure out how to use them.