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Matthew Fulmer wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:20070522183323.GA23654@tacobell.ph.cox.net"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">On Tue, May 22, 2007 at 09:44:37AM -0500, Howard Stearns wrote:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I'm thinking not in terms of what it is, but rather how and in what context
it would be used:
* To be used ubiquitously in any context, it needs to not only be small and
have good battery life, but it needs to be cheap and "losable." I think
Alan gives an example of taking it to the beach or a raft in the pool.
(This also implies replicated external storage.)
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap=""><!---->
XO has all these features.
</pre>
</blockquote>
It does, but I think a Dynabook (or what we now are contemplating a
Dynabook to be) would require a bit more processor and storage power
(and a better design of the input methods - be it a QWERY keyboard,
chord and/or touch-screen.) The Geode is a low-power processor, and
that's great and what I think we want to head for. But I think a better
balance could be made with another processor to address the needs of a
broader user base - balancing software needs with power consumption.<br>
<br>
I think also that memory is too low and storage should probably be in
the 50GB range. I think also that some compromise in video/audio codec
delivery should be made so that most of the multimedia
recording/playback processing can be assisted by HW (motion
compensation, bitblt, even H.264, etc.).<br>
<br>
The Viewpoints "Steps Toward The Reinvention of Programming" (maybe
I'll call the authors "The Gang of 5") does not go into detail on what
their "metal" consists of. I'd like to find out more of what they are
thinking. Maybe they'll start with a powerbook and use the XO in
parallel. Maybe they have some ideas of building a new platform in
parallel with the software development. <br>
<br>
Along those lines, is there any contemporary non-Von Neuman processor
architecture that would be better suited for Smalltalk? Perhaps to
reduce power and to streamline OO architectures. I remember reading Dan
and Alan mentioning the handy use of microcoding processors at Xerox to
help their work. I also recall a processor that was built for OO but I
can't find my notes. Anyone?<br>
<br>
===<br>
General XO specs:<br>
<dl>
<dt>CPU</dt>
<dd> AMD Geode 400 MHz x86
</dd>
<dt>Memory</dt>
<dd> 128 Mb 133 MHz DRAM
</dd>
<dt>BIOS</dt>
<dd> LinuxBIOS stored on 512k flash ROM
</dd>
<dt>Storage</dt>
<dd> 512 Mb SLC NAND Flash memory
</dd>
<dt>Video</dt>
<dd> 693 x 520 pixel color display capable of switching to a 1200 by
900 sunlight-readable monochrome mode
</dd>
<dt>Network</dt>
<dd> internal 802.11 wi-fi with mesh networking capability
</dd>
<dt>Keyboard</dt>
<dd> various depending on target language. They will include two
5-key cursor-control pads.
</dd>
<dt>Mouse</dt>
<dd> a touchpad pointing device
</dd>
<dt>Interfaces</dt>
<dd> 4 USB ports
</dd>
<dt>Power</dt>
<dd> input jack for DC from 10 up to 25 volts. A
human-powered generator, probably foot powered, will be bundled with
the unit. The internal rechargable battery has 5 NiMH cells.
</dd>
<dt>Sound</dt>
<dd> built-in stereo speakers and microphone</dd>
</dl>
<br>
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