Poll: Circling back to the PC

[felltablet]

With the 360 and PS3 attempting to emulate the functions of a personal computer, how long will it be until these systems are no longer distinguishable?

Is it that hard to imagine that the next Microsoft Xbox could be running windows?

I once heard an official marketing rep trying to push the ps3 as a station for "all your needs," news, entertainment, organization, and creation. He basically went on to describe the uses of your average desktop, but with an awed perspective, like somehow what they were doing was revolutionary.

So how long will it be before gaming consoles have a fully capable operating system?

Or will they ever change?
-and if not, do you believe it is due to a desire for simplicity, or a yearn for keeping a monopoly over their products (The Apple business plan).

 

[Goldbling]

With the 360 and PS3 attempting to emulate the functions of a personal computer, how long will it be until these systems are no longer distinguishable?

Is it that hard to imagine that the next Microsoft Xbox could be running windows?

I once heard an official marketing rep trying to push the ps3 as a station for "all your needs," news, entertainment, organization, and creation. He basically went on to describe the uses of your average desktop, but with an awed perspective, like somehow what they were doing was revolutionary.

So how long will it be before gaming consoles have a fully capable operating system?

Or will they ever change?
-and if not, do you believe it is due to a desire for simplicity, or a yearn for keeping a monopoly over their products (The Apple business plan).

I think that no matter what anyone says it will eventually happen. Knowing Microsoft, ASAP.

 

[pedal2000]

Yeah...except news entertainment organization and creation != Work.

Plus PC's will always have better hardware.

 

[TaborMallory]

You see, the reason consoles are so much cheaper than a PC is because they're much simpler. The instant you put an OS on a console, you beef up the price. Not to mention, it'd become as fragile as a PC. A console would no longer have the simplistic appeal by its fanbase.

And besides, I think Microsoft would completely steamroll its competition in the OS department.

 

[felltablet]

Yeah...except news entertainment organization and creation != Work.

Plus PC's will always have better hardware.

Yeah but that better hardware requires knowledge (albeit very little) for installation if you want to keep up with the curve. We'll probably end up seeing systems where new components can simply be popped in.

 

[Flying-Emu]

*snip

Inflammatory, rude, and off-topic. Not cool, brohime.

 

[SnowCold]

*flame of the century*

And this is related, how?...

 

[Nutcase]

Yeah...except news entertainment organization and creation != Work.

I'm pretty sure most work done on computers is organization, creation or reading.

Plus PC's will always have better hardware.

"Is it fast enough to run a web browser and Microsoft Office" is as far as the hardware concerns most people currently working on computers. It has been that way for about a decade.

 

[felltablet]

Am I posting on the wrong topic?

Seriously, did you get lost in the forums?

 

[iggyus]

Am I posting on the wrong topic?

Seriously, did you get lost in the forums?

I think this might be a troll. Just report

 

[felltablet]

I think this might be a troll. Just report

Wow, trolls are getting more and more equipped everyday.
There is no hope for us anymore. Soon we will all be drowning in our own blood and troll sweat.

 

[AronaX]

I'd have to say that not one of the 3 console companies would ever put an OS on their systems just based on what the console represents : It was never ment to be a work station, it was designed to be a recreatonal tool. Am I right ?

The only console I ever owned was a Sega mega drive 2 and I really enjoyed playing on it but if I had to mess around with my emails or to update the OS on it I'd have lost intrest in it almost instantly. But then again I haven't bought into the console gaming scene, maybe that multipurpose feature will boost the popularity in lets say the more casual tech users mind.

 

[Jirlond]

You can put an OS on your ps3 - its an option on your ps3 settings and it can support windows or linux! In terms of "fully capable" OS being shipped with a console - I think the needs and uses of each are too different, if you put a fully functioning OS into a console - then it must be dynamic and very deep. There is a reason I have a PC and consoles and that is because I like them the way they are.

 

[Zacharine]

Over a decade.

Because current generation OS have also advanced. Compare Win 98 with Win XP and then the upcoming Win 7. Compare the Macs from the beginning of the nineties with current day OS.

While the line between a console and a home computer will blur even more in the coming years, The consoles, unless foolishly focusing on bringing a fully functional OS, will not reach the point of comparable PC/Mac level OS until a few more generations. That is because the consoles are not meant to run a comparable OS and they should not meant to be, because they are not trying to emulate computers, their strenght lies in the powerful plu&play style, no install needed kind of playing; jack up the cords, jam the game in and play, no hassle. The OS side of things will develop slowly as an aside as the computational power and capabilities of the consoles continue to increase, yet there will not be a clear need for such an OS to be implemented into the consoles. Thus it will take time.

 

[lostclause]

They're getting there. Since you can now use console controllers on pc games they are getting blurred. Can't you run linux on the PS3? I wish they'd remove the first barrier and have cross-play between pc and console already.

 

[LongAndShort]

To all those who wish their consoles to effectively become computers I say this, why not just get a computer? Consoles have their purpose (being simple plug in and play) and computers have their purpose, why do the lines need to blur at all?

 

[tenlong]

To all those who wish their consoles to effectively become computers I say this, why not just get a computer? Consoles have their purpose (being simple plug in and play) and computers have their purpose, why do the lines need to blur at all?

2nd that! I like consoles because of their simplicity. I like the fact you put in a game and it works right 99.9 percent of the time . The worst you have to do is install or update a game to get to run better. That is why i am a console gamer. i do pcs does most things than a console. Every time i bought a pc game i wondered is this going to work on my pc?

 

[not a zaar]

You see, the reason consoles are so much cheaper than a PC is because they're much simpler. The instant you put an OS on a console, you beef up the price. Not to mention, it'd become as fragile as a PC. A console would no longer have the simplistic appeal by its fanbase.

And besides, I think Microsoft would completely steamroll its competition in the OS department.

Uh, every console has an OS. Ever heard of the Xbox Dashboard?

 

[InfectingTheCrypts]

The appeal for me of console gaming is that you simply avoid all the hassle of "is my GPU able to play this, will the game crash on me, is my OS compatible with this game" etc. etc., whereas with consoles, there's no extra modifications or changes necessary, since essentially everyone gets the same basic hardware, so everything just... works

If consoles start putting Windows or Linux or whatever as their main O/S, they'll just screw everything up.

 

[The Maddest March Hare]

To all those who wish their consoles to effectively become computers I say this, why not just get a computer? Consoles have their purpose (being simple plug in and play) and computers have their purpose, why do the lines need to blur at all?

Absolutely agreed. Although I would love to be able to play online against a PC user. That kind of blurring would be fun. I'd love to be able to shoot some of my PC gaming friends. XD