The Empire Strikes Back. No, not the George Lucas' remastered, digitally enhanced, rereleased trio of space operas. We're talking about the mainframe mentality, which is mounting a comeback in corporate and government circles, cleverly disguised as something called the Network Computer. It runs Java applications for data entry and information-gathering purposes, and it has no hard drive. Once you turn the NC on, it immediately brings up the corporate Intranet, or the Internet itself.
All data is stored on the server, and it retains no data whatsoever once it's shut off.
The reason for the hoopla surrounding the NC is its relatively low cost compared to a standard PC, its low maintenance costs, its zero-upgrade software costs and its practicality for a large corporation or government agency. No viruses brought in from home by unsuspecting employees. No naughty screen savers. No Solitaire in mid-afternoon. No yearly upgrades of Word and Excel, at costs comparable to the GNP of small Central American nations.