Peoples Republic of South Devon

The Death of Booting

May 23rd, 2008

The weekly technology column from those good people at Plymouth’s Orange Crate

How great would it be if, like any other household appliance, you could switch on your pc and use it straight away? Although the times are gone where you could turn on your computer, go and make a cup of tea then come back to see it still booting up, an element of that seemingly endless wait still remains. But for how long…

Late last year software developer DeviceVM and hardware manufacturer Asus teamed up to release Splashtop – a Linux based operating system stored directly on a computer motherboard. For those of you with a slightly lower Geek Factor, let me explain what this combination implies.

Linux is a computer operating system (OS), similar to Microsoft Windows. However unlike Windows it is free and ‘open source’, meaning that programmers are allowed to take the underlying code and modify it to create new operating systems. A motherboard, on the other hand, is the core component in a pc or laptop to which all the other components, such as the processor, memory, and hard disks, are attached. Current operating systems are stored on the computers hard drive, and to boot up and access it takes time and system resources. But if the OS was embedded directly into the motherboard it would eliminate the need for this sequence, enabling you to use your pc almost instantly.

For around six months this option has been available on the higher end Asus motherboards, but the cost involved has made it unavailable to most users. Despite this the feedback has been very positive, resulting in Asus’ aim to incorporate Splashtop on 1,000,000 of their more accessible motherboards per month in the near future.

So is this the beginning of the end for Windows and computing as we know it? Well, possibly not quite yet. Although Splashtop incorporates some useful features such as web browsing, Skype, photo and file viewing, and chat programmes, it doesn’t quite cut the mustard. Think of it as an secondary option that you use for a quick fix of email viewing or web browsing, rather than a full blown alternative to the current system. But as the screen shots show, the idea has come a long way in a relatively short space of time so who knows where it might lead? In a couple of years time you may be able to switch on your pc and check your emails while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil to make your tea…

Entry Filed under: technology