| From: | J Gavigan <csc086@*****.LANCS.AC.UK> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: A coupla 'deck questions. |
| Date: | Sun, 17 Apr 1994 23:50:56 +0100 |
> and reading way too many sci-fi novels. Perhaps the wall connection is
> multi-purpose -- i.e., power would be provided on two (or more) leads,
> Matrix connection on two (or more) seperate leads, and other leads could
> be for I/O from be building's control system, or whatever.
I could have sworn I said that... ie. about the multi-purpose
connection, that is...
> Try this "rules clarification" on for size. Each plug has, say,
> eight wires: two are dedicated to power, and two are dedicated to Matrix
> (used by telephone, video unit, terminal, and cyberdeck.) The leftover
> four can be switched by the control system to be used for whatever's
> needed, be it commands like "start brewing coffee" or the feed from a
> security camera.
IMHO, all you would need would be the mormal number of connections
for a phone, plus the two cables needed to provide the power.
Reason?
Ok. Right now, I'm using an X-terminal, connected to an Ethernetwork,
and then into cent1, the main computer here at Lancaster.
Cent1 is linked to an Internet node in London by a leased phone line,
which means it's using a modem.
Right, now I've just been watching TV from the states on this Xterm,
and, if it had a speaker, like Sparcs do, I'd be able to listen to
it as well...
Admittedly, the screen is small (indeed, the smaller you make it, the
faster it refreshes.) and the quality isn't perfect, but I'm still
watching live TV from America. It comes from a cable into the machine,
and from there across the Internet to me.
The reason that I can't watch full screen TV, with 30 frames per
second, or whatever is because the Internet won't let me transfer that
amount of info. However, if the Internet were better, I would be able
watch TV. Or, even, play a 3-D game. Or, even! jack into cyberspace.
My point is that, as far as the hardware for connecting computers to the
network goes, we've already got it, but it cost too much to install it
at the moment (fibre optic, etc.), so, in reality, we don't need the extra
lines for video or control systems - the computer can do everything.
Jackin' out...
/> Dodger
/<
O[\\\\\\(O):::<======================================-
\<
\> Dodger - csc086 @ cent1.lancs.ac.uk
-----===*===-----
