The first decade or so of portable computing left me cold (anyone else use the Osborne 1?) and it wasn't until the early 90s that I first encountered a laptop good enough to be used as a replacement for a desktop machine. I wrote about all of this in my Desktop Discussions column of August 1994 ...
Deskbound Dinosaurs
A six-week loan of a laptop left a profound impression on William Hern. As a result he can see the writing on the wall for the traditional desktop computer.
Confession time: for many years I've been deeply prejudiced against laptop computers. My cynicism can probably be traced back to one night in September 1989 when I struggled to write a two-thousand word summary of the PCW Show while travelling back to Aberdeen on an overnight coach. Typing on the cramped and uncomfortable keyboard, I squinted at the faint characters on the non-backlit display of the borrowed Toshiba T1000, all the while hoping that the batteries wouldn't run out before I finished the piece. Ever since then I have been extremely dubious of those who promote the joys of computing while on the move.
I've now had to change my opinion however. The reason for my sudden conversion? A Macintosh PowerBook laptop computer which was lent to me while I was on the road around North America for six weeks on business. The PowerBook was equipped with an internal modem so that I could log into my workstation in the office every night and read my electronic mail.
I was initially skeptical - could I cope for six weeks with a laptop computer as my only computing resource? Could I do real work on such a 'toy' computer? My expectations were low at the start but by the end of the trip the PowerBook had really impressed me.
First of all, it's extremely easy to carry around. It's the size of an A4 piece of paper, a little over two inches thick and weighs about six pounds. This makes it very comfortable to carry around during the day while moving between meetings. It also fits well into a small carrying case for taking on to a plane as hand luggage.
In spite of its small size, the computing performance has not been noticeably sacrificed. The PowerBook I used packs about the same computing performance punch as a Falcon, allowing me to use standard Mac software rather than cut-down versions. The keyboard is comfortable to use and doesn't feel at all cramped. The backlit LCD display is easily legible in almost all lighting conditions. The built-in palm rest makes typing extremely comfortable and reduces the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
My positive impressions of the PowerBook have started me thinking about the future of the conventional desktop machine. Whereas in the past, laptops could play only a supporting role in serving a user's computing needs, the new generation of laptop computers are good enough to act as a user's only computer.
Put it another way: with laptops this good why would anyone want to buy a desktop machine?
Laptop computers have numerous advantages over their deskbound counterparts. There's the obvious advantage of not being tied to a power output, so enabling you to work while travelling.
However there are bonuses even when you are in your own home/office. Personally, I like the idea of being able to write my columns while relaxing in my favourite chair, strategically positioned so that it is in the optimum stereophonic spot for my hi-fi. I couldn't do this easily with a desktop machine.
Laptops have other advantages as well. At a time when people are worrying more and more about the quality of their electricity supply and so are buying expensive uninterruptible power supplies to protect their equipment, most laptops have a UPS built-in for free. The PowerBook always runs off its battery and so is protected against sudden breaks in the supply.
Another reason why laptops are the fasting growing sector of the computing market has been the steady improvement in LCD technology. High quality colour displays, which rival traditional cathode ray tubes in terms of image quality, are falling rapidly in price. Unlike CRTs, LCDs do not suffer from any flicker and so are easier on the eyes. Those who are worried about radiation emissions from CRTs will be glad to hear that LCDs have no such problems.
Up to now, the big advantage that desktop computers have offered is expandability. Laptops have to be small, so generally don't have any space within them for adding peripherals.
However even that advantage is fading. Recent laptop models such as the Macintosh Duo incorporate docking stations that provide expansion slots for additional hardware. On the road the Duo can act as a standard laptop - on return to the office or home, it can be plugged into its dock, turning it into a powerful and expandable desktop computer.
During its development, the Duo was codenamed within Apple as the "Best of Both Worlds". It's easy to see why.
The rise of the portable computer should come as little surprise. The computer is, after all, a servant. What use is a servant if they can't be with you all the time. Why should it make you choose where you want to work? Or when? Can a personal computer be regarded as truly personal unless it is capable of being taken anywhere?
I didn't intend this article to be an extended advert for the Apple PowerBooks. Similar technological advances have been made in PC and UNIX laptops.
The reason I've written this piece is to highlight a trend which I believe will eventually result in the near elimination of the traditional desktop machine.
If the rumours are correct and Atari is playing around with the idea of a PowerPC machine then they ought to consider developing it as a laptop. While Atari's track record with producing portable computers is hardly strong (the heavy STacy was followed by the rarely-seen ST Book and then the ST Penpad which didn't even get off the drawing board), neither was Apple's for a while. The Macintosh Portable was heavy and a commercial flop. However the company's second attempt, the PowerBook, was much better and has now clocked up sales of over a million. If Atari can follow Apple's example and bounce back with a PowerPC laptop then its future will look a lot brighter.
William Hern
I've now had to change my opinion however. The reason for my sudden conversion? A Macintosh PowerBook laptop computer which was lent to me while I was on the road around North America for six weeks on business. The PowerBook was equipped with an internal modem so that I could log into my workstation in the office every night and read my electronic mail.
I was initially skeptical - could I cope for six weeks with a laptop computer as my only computing resource? Could I do real work on such a 'toy' computer? My expectations were low at the start but by the end of the trip the PowerBook had really impressed me.
First of all, it's extremely easy to carry around. It's the size of an A4 piece of paper, a little over two inches thick and weighs about six pounds. This makes it very comfortable to carry around during the day while moving between meetings. It also fits well into a small carrying case for taking on to a plane as hand luggage.
In spite of its small size, the computing performance has not been noticeably sacrificed. The PowerBook I used packs about the same computing performance punch as a Falcon, allowing me to use standard Mac software rather than cut-down versions. The keyboard is comfortable to use and doesn't feel at all cramped. The backlit LCD display is easily legible in almost all lighting conditions. The built-in palm rest makes typing extremely comfortable and reduces the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
My positive impressions of the PowerBook have started me thinking about the future of the conventional desktop machine. Whereas in the past, laptops could play only a supporting role in serving a user's computing needs, the new generation of laptop computers are good enough to act as a user's only computer.
Put it another way: with laptops this good why would anyone want to buy a desktop machine?
Laptop computers have numerous advantages over their deskbound counterparts. There's the obvious advantage of not being tied to a power output, so enabling you to work while travelling.
However there are bonuses even when you are in your own home/office. Personally, I like the idea of being able to write my columns while relaxing in my favourite chair, strategically positioned so that it is in the optimum stereophonic spot for my hi-fi. I couldn't do this easily with a desktop machine.
Laptops have other advantages as well. At a time when people are worrying more and more about the quality of their electricity supply and so are buying expensive uninterruptible power supplies to protect their equipment, most laptops have a UPS built-in for free. The PowerBook always runs off its battery and so is protected against sudden breaks in the supply.
Another reason why laptops are the fasting growing sector of the computing market has been the steady improvement in LCD technology. High quality colour displays, which rival traditional cathode ray tubes in terms of image quality, are falling rapidly in price. Unlike CRTs, LCDs do not suffer from any flicker and so are easier on the eyes. Those who are worried about radiation emissions from CRTs will be glad to hear that LCDs have no such problems.
Up to now, the big advantage that desktop computers have offered is expandability. Laptops have to be small, so generally don't have any space within them for adding peripherals.
However even that advantage is fading. Recent laptop models such as the Macintosh Duo incorporate docking stations that provide expansion slots for additional hardware. On the road the Duo can act as a standard laptop - on return to the office or home, it can be plugged into its dock, turning it into a powerful and expandable desktop computer.
During its development, the Duo was codenamed within Apple as the "Best of Both Worlds". It's easy to see why.
The rise of the portable computer should come as little surprise. The computer is, after all, a servant. What use is a servant if they can't be with you all the time. Why should it make you choose where you want to work? Or when? Can a personal computer be regarded as truly personal unless it is capable of being taken anywhere?
I didn't intend this article to be an extended advert for the Apple PowerBooks. Similar technological advances have been made in PC and UNIX laptops.
The reason I've written this piece is to highlight a trend which I believe will eventually result in the near elimination of the traditional desktop machine.
If the rumours are correct and Atari is playing around with the idea of a PowerPC machine then they ought to consider developing it as a laptop. While Atari's track record with producing portable computers is hardly strong (the heavy STacy was followed by the rarely-seen ST Book and then the ST Penpad which didn't even get off the drawing board), neither was Apple's for a while. The Macintosh Portable was heavy and a commercial flop. However the company's second attempt, the PowerBook, was much better and has now clocked up sales of over a million. If Atari can follow Apple's example and bounce back with a PowerPC laptop then its future will look a lot brighter.
William Hern