New Internet Computer
Encyclopedia
The New Internet Computer (NIC) was a Linux
-based internet appliance
released July 6, 2000 by Larry Ellison
's New Internet Computer Company. The system (without a monitor) sold for US$199.
The NIC boots from a CD-ROM with a custom Linux distribution developed by Wim Coekaerts. It has no hard drive and no way to install additional software. The system's only nonvolatile storage is 4 MB of flash memory.
Ellison planned to sell 5 million units the first year, but fewer than 50,000 units were sold. The company shut its doors in June 2003. PC World
ranked the NIC as the ninth worst PC of all time.
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
-based internet appliance
Internet appliance
An Internet appliance is a consumer device whose main function is easy access to Internet services such as WWW or e-mail. The term was popularized in the 1990s, when it somewhat overlapped in meaning with an information appliance, Internet computer, network computer, or even thin client, but now it...
released July 6, 2000 by Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison
Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Ellison is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Oracle Corporation, one of the world's leading enterprise software companies. As of 2011, he is the third wealthiest American citizen, with an estimated worth of $33 billion.- Early life :Larry Ellison was born in the...
's New Internet Computer Company. The system (without a monitor) sold for US$199.
The NIC boots from a CD-ROM with a custom Linux distribution developed by Wim Coekaerts. It has no hard drive and no way to install additional software. The system's only nonvolatile storage is 4 MB of flash memory.
Ellison planned to sell 5 million units the first year, but fewer than 50,000 units were sold. The company shut its doors in June 2003. PC World
PC World (magazine)
PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
ranked the NIC as the ninth worst PC of all time.
External links
- Internet Appliance Eliminates Hard Drive J.D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, September 28, 2000
- Wim Coekaerts is Oracle's Mr. Linux Steve Lipson, Oracle Magazine
- Linux and the New Internet Computer Billy Hall, Linux JournalLinux JournalLinux Journal is a monthly technology magazine published by Belltown Media, Inc. of Houston, Texas. The magazine focuses specifically on Linux, allowing the content to be a highly specialized source of information for open source enthusiasts.-History:...
, February 2001