An Internet Computing Platform Vision
by Anthony Matarazzo

Introduction

User Platform

Internet Compiler

Web Server

The Personal Mainframe

Operating System

Introduction

The portable platform is an important tool for computing users of modern day. Many portable platforms exists, some even as simple as the cell phone are very sophisticated in the details, however none of these platforms ever seem to meet the user's total needs. So each consumer gathers devices that are specific to their needs. But each device that a user accumulates adds another type of resource that they need to manage data for. MP3 music, cell phone address books, documents, videos, photographs and websites addresses are among the many data. From these various devices a user gains a sort of electronic persona, if you will, that when combined paints a user portrait. One that portrays their many habits, financial wellness, learned knowledge, personal likes and wants about the user's self in the real world. While we may never tie together completely the electronic world persona to the physical one, it would please users more if their persistence were securely protected and easily managed -- that means centralizing the source.

To centralize the data source for a user would obviously mean that their information would be stored on an Internet drive. Many internet storage sites exist today that allow users to store their files on a web server, however to use them properly, the user must download the file to operate, use or edit. This editing and operation must be performed on the web server itself to allow a better use of network resources.

Centralization of the user data source will ultimately allow each device they have to manage every type of data file the user has, if it is within the devices potential and need. To accomplish this, a common drawing language that each device can render must be created. HTML is such a language but it is most suited for textual renderings. As well the implementation of HTML as an ASCII markup language makes it a poor choice for interface rendering as typically binary implementations reduce overhead on parsing and transmission requirements. I sincerely believe that a drawing language that, while in management form may be textual, is pure compressed binary can be the next needed technological leap for the World Wide Internet network.

To accomplish this task will take the cooperation of many research companies but nevertheless a job that needs to be accomplished. It involves making each device connectable to networks, either locally wireless via Bluetooth, phone ADSL connection, LAN or WIFI. Dependent on the device usage and specifics will determine how the local storage system is utilized. That is, some devices such as compact digital cameras will just upload images while MP3 players/recorders both will download and upload audio.

Sometimes a completely wireless link may not be practical. For example a device that utilizes strictly audio and or video could be easily adopted for an ADSL phone type connection. So when the user plugs in the device at the local data point, by device identification, its connection is routed to the user's storage, commercial publication bank or public domain bank. Then user can quickly change and download additional play lists to the device and go. As well the opportunity must exist for the purchase or rental directly from the device and this can be managed securely for the user because billing does not occur from the device itself rather the information is drawn from the user's centralized storage. And of course this does make the device much simpler and offloads the security directly to the financial key hosting provider (electronic banking) and their current encryption/transport methods. This means that security interface personnel will directly interact from the contract operating/application system provider. In short, secure CXML backend transaction with user client authentication will likely be their target for ecommerce collaboration.

The transaction itself will be authenticated real time from the client device. Using an advanced encryption algorithm to send the authentication will be the method. The granularity and tinsel strength is defined to be unique within the computational stochastic domain by using very large keys stored within the device. You spend online and it must be from the registered device. When the banking institution get the transmission, their methods of ATM accountability are within the realm of your choice. That’s backend security.

The important thing about the computing device being anonymous to your banking information will be a task of registering it at your banking institution directly. To the consumer, it will be an experience liken to getting a new credit card number at the counter, only this number is extremely large. It will be transferred from the device while being plugged into the banking institution. The user will run a specialized program and be on the phone with the hosting provider to release the identity. The number cannot be gained without using forcible on the users device itself. Theft of the device can be compared to theft of a credit card and should be incorporated within the system using the consumer’s durable response. By law this will be out of the hands of the hosting contract provider and in the hands of the FDIC Banking Institution. The system is in effect; it works and is trustworthy due to American credit. However, this device will still be far superior in authentication secure for ecommerce spending than merely sending CCN and PIN.

User Platform

The user's portable platform must be built to be as portable, compact and energy efficient as possible. This can be accomplished by simplifying the client platform itself and offloading complex computing tasks to a host provider. By providing a robust, efficient rendering base model that facilitates the drawing of windows type interfaces and 2d/3d vector graphics a user will be very happy with their experience.

Many methods of render and client interactivity will have to be available to allow this platform to operate within acceptable usability tolerances. Using video compositing, text overlays, image compression, vector compression, numeric compression, textual rendering, audio compression, and CGI rendering compression the client and host computer will have significant link that can provide an interactive experience while utilizing minimum network bandwidth.

Internet Streaming Compiler

The soft generation of overlays by the web server that facilitate real time operation is essential for the user to gain the full use of the platform. However, this means that less coupling between objects is needed in the platform design. For example the drop down menus at the top of many applications are typically facilitated by a plethora of windows code. What is needed for the menu system to stream is the separation of the menu code, the final visual result, and the text information the menu is comprised from. Transmission of the menu will be the visual elements first, that is how the menu draws itself when clicked, colors, images, etc using the common drawing language. One of the most difficult and important factors when making the compiler system is hiding this functionality from the developer so that connections to a client computer are transparent.

Web Server

The connection between the client and the web server must be discrete. The laptop client for example must allow some operation to be performed on the client when a different style of rendering is needed. And as well a highly secure encryption algorithm must be utilized that takes into account the destination route as part of the cipher. That way if hackers happen to get part of your download stream they must know the location code in addition to decrypt.

The Personal Mainframe

Using a mainframe for the hosting operation will reduce the cost of user management and allow cheaper laptops to exist. But his does not prohibit users from owning their own backend hardware. Users will no longer wait for the clunky notebook PC hardware to do the tasks because they will have an elephant doing the job. And a viable upgrade path for the user will be adding new CPUs to the computing cluster. They will be able to easily choose different operating systems, install software from an online electronic library and have all their data connected together stored in one place. The perfect GUI marriage of a small client platform and big power server.

Operating System Providers

With this new system any company can host an operating system. So for specialized platforms like a Korg audio synthesizer their loop creation tools may be specific enough that facilitate a complete interface for music production. Professional quality rendering of the note information can be performed using their networked synthesis banks while the output is routed back and mixed real-time MP3 into the playing loop.