The prediction, in brief:

These terminals will only come over the dead bodies of Netscape, Microsoft and a dozen other companies, because every company is adding functionality to the Web … it’s too early in the life of the Internet to “strangle” its potential with a fixed-function terminal. Users haven’t opted for cheaper boxes in the past.

Predictor: Myhrvold, Nathan

Prediction, in context:

In a 1995 article for Network Computing, Christine Hudgins-Bonafield interviews Nathan Myhrvold of Microsoft. Hudgins-Bonafield writes:”Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft’s unofficial technology strategist and co-group vice president for applications and content, calls such a concept [as the $500 Internet appliance] ‘as dorky as dedicated word processors.’ He adds, ‘These terminals will only come over the dead bodies of Netscape, Microsoft and a dozen other companies, because every company is adding functionality to the Web.’ Myhrvold cautions that it’s too early in the life of the Internet to ‘strangle’ its potential with a fixed-function terminal. Users haven’t opted for cheaper boxes in the past, says Myhrvold.

Biography:

Nathan Myhrvold worked at Microsoft Corporation as chief technology officer in the 1990s. Myhrvold was responsible for the Advanced Technology and Research Group, which had a budget of over $2 billion per year. Earlier, he was group vice president of Applications and Content, which included a number of Microsoft divisions, including Desktop Applications, Consumer, Research and Microsoft On Line Systems. (Technology Developer/Administrator.)

Date of prediction: December 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Information Infrastructure

Subtopic: Internet Appliances

Name of publication: Network Computing

Title, headline, chapter name: Attack of the $500 Killer Network Computers

Quote Type: Partial quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=92720e236045eac68bb019de485871a

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Ritz, Nathan M.