subject: Tech Flops Part 2 [print this page] In my last article I wrote about some promising technologies that, despite having started life with such a potential, quickly crashed and burned to become fables for future generations to sneer at. The notorious Microsoft Bob application and Smart Appliances such as the oven that connects to the Internet aside we had the formats HD DVD, Minidisc, DAT Tapes and of course Betamax. As you'd expect, I've saved the best until last.
OS/2
Originally a joint venture between IBM and Microsoft in 1987, things in the first few years looked optimistic with Microsoft publically insisting that OS/2 was the future. This was until the release of Windows 3.0 which sold extremely well due to the Operating System being bundled with many PC's - OS/2 on the other hand was considered an expensive alternative.
Unsurprisingly, the marriage took a turn for the worse and IBM went solo. In 1992, they released OS/2 2.0 that they insisted was "a better DOS than DOS and a better Windows than Windows" before rebranding the following version 3 as OS/2 Warp in an attempt to highlight the new performance benefits. OS/2 Warp 4.0 was released around the same time as Windows 95 and included several impressive technologies such as speech recognition. It was however the last widely distributed version of OS/2 before IBM admitted defeat and stopped marketing the OS to individual users.
The reasons for its demise are multiple; most prominently was that Windows was bundled with most computer systems, many users didn't see the need to replace it or even realised that they had a choice in the matter. A comparatively small user base raised issues such as poor driver support for non-IBM hardware; a problem for those interested in adopting the OS.
Failed Dot-Coms
What a fantastic time the 90's must have been for entrepreneurs. Quite simply, you think up a half-baked idea involving the Internet, don't even worry about the part of the business plan that talks about how you're going to make a profit, and someone, somewhere is likely spend millions taking a punt on you.
Virtual Reality
The idea of virtual reality (VR) has always been of interest to me; the premise being that through the use of various gadgets like specialist goggles and gloves, you can immediately be transported to an involving 3D universe. Nothing particularly significant has ever been developed presumably due to the price of such gear and the fact that nothing marketed so far has been momentous enough to justify investment by the average user.
Whether VR has a hope in the future is not yet clear; to me it seems peculiar that we still play our games on the same style screens as we did many years ago but currently there doesn't seem to be a real alternative on the horizon.
eBooks
I have covered eBooks previously and I maintain that even though the idea is fantastic and certainly ecologically, I just don't think the world is quite read for them. Until the advent of "Kindle" there hasn't really been any notable reader and it seems many prefer the comforting feel of a book has meant their acceptance by consumers has been rather slow.
Speech Recognition
This technology suffers from a combination of technical difficulties and the fact that, quite simply you look like an idiot when you use it. Whilst those with disabilities may find the technology helpful, the rest of us should just learn to use a keyboard; it's faster, you won't have to worry about background noise and most importantly the entire room won't necessarily need to hear the abusive letter you're writing to your bank manager.
