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The Firefox computer

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by

Toni Schneider
in , ,

Jon Callaghan has some thoughts on how easy it was for him to switch from a PC to a Mac.

This made me think about the Windows Vista launch and the inevitable OS X vs Vista comparisons, and how come I’m deeply uninterested in any of it.

I run a PC at home and a Mac on the road. Their respective operating systems just don’t get me very excited these days. The only thing I care about is that they run Firefox. That’s because my digital day is currently spent in the following apps: WordPress, Yahoo Mail, Bloglines, 30boxes and Google. And they all run perfectly well in Firefox. So as long as I can get to Firefox, I’m pretty much surrounded by everything I need for my work. The only desktop app I use regularly is an IRC client and occasionally I’ll use Open Office to edit a Word document (I bet I could move both of those to web based apps as well).

This leads me to the following conclusion: I want a Firefox computer. A nice, sleek, solid state notebook with a big screen that you open up and it just runs Firefox. I bet this could be had for a reasonable price, it could have a nice long battery life and start up almost instantly. I’d still have a PC or Mac at home to store my photos and music, but for my everyday work life the Firefox computer is all I need.

Comments

26 responses to “The Firefox computer”

  1. ggwfung Avatar
    ggwfung

    the web's changed the game. OS is quite unimportant these days except for aesthetics and usability. In terms of lockin, it's just not there anymore.

    ggw

    Reply
  2. Parand Avatar
    Parand

    Chatzilla is quite a nice firefox IRC client (http://chatzilla.hacksrus.com/). I've stopped using other IRC clients all-together.

    Reply
  3. Tristan Avatar
    Tristan

    Manual trackback: http://standblog.org/blog/post/2007/02/10/Quote-o…

    Reply
  4. Nokia N800 as Firefox Computer? « Changing Way

    […] February 10th, 2007 Toni Schneider, CEO of Automattic, like many of us, can do much of his digital work and play in his browser. my digital day is currently spent in the following apps: WordPress, Yahoo Mail, Bloglines, 30boxes a… […]

    Reply
  5. Internet Television Avatar
    Internet Television

    […] February 11, 2007 @ 2:25 pm It's just not possible because you would still need an operating system and Firefox can not be run on it's own. You could however have a DOS based system that could run a dos or unix based browser like Lynx. But say we wanted a Firefox computer, and didn't mind having Windows installed on it (a stripped down version of course), would it be possible? Well let's take a look… […]

    Reply
  6. dave Avatar
    dave

    You know it

    Reply
  7. Brent Avatar
    Brent

    You could probably run a linux/unix based computer with minimalism in mind. Perhaps Xubuntu or something might interest you.

    Reply
  8. Frederic Avatar
    Frederic

    to store your photos and play your music, you don't need a PC or Mac. Maybe this might interest you : http://foreversafe.com

    Reply
  9. ThoughtStream: Nitin Badjatia’s Weblog

    […] Schneider, CEO of Automattic (makers of WordPress, Akismet, etc.), recently posted on his blog about his desire to have a ‘Firefox computer’: I run a PC at home and a Mac […]

    Reply
  10. Lloyd Budd Avatar
    Lloyd Budd

    That would make me crazy. I think you would really notice the lack of a good desktop environment if you did not have it.

    Reply
  11. düğümküme » Sadece Web Tarayıcısı Çalıştıran Bilgisayarlar Devri

    […] (WordPress) CEO’su Toni Schneider geçenlerde yazdığı “The Firefox Computer” yazısında kullandığı iki farklı makina (evde PC yolda Mac) arasında tek önemsediği şeyin web […]

    Reply
  12. Standard Deviations » Nice integration of IM into Yahoo Mail

    […] that’s one less desktop app to run, one more step towards the firefox computer, one less Web app to run, and a good reason to keep Yahoo Mail open as a permanent window in […]

    Reply
  13. Andrew Avatar
    Andrew

    Why would you want a slow and insecure computer that does not work with all webpages? Get the facts: http://www.FirefoxMyths.com

    Reply
  14. Clint Laskowski Avatar
    Clint Laskowski

    Ooooh, Andrew, you burned us. You party pooper.

    Reply
  15. kieran Avatar
    kieran

    I'd still need IE to be sure my code works in legacy apps ;-), but with Oracle Application Express all my development is done through a browser. Google spreadsheets records my timesheet and expenses. Most of the other apps I use are written in java. A FF/Java pc would be perfect.

    Reply
  16. Hashim Avatar
    Hashim

    You don't edit photos or listen to music?

    Reply
  17. The Firefox computer – Why not? « Tons of Fresh News

    […] 24, 2007 at 3:49 pm · Filed under Uncategorized The Firefox computer – Why not? I want a Firefox computer. A nice, sleek, solid state notebook with a big screen that you open up […]

    Reply
  18. JJB Avatar
    JJB

    You can use "neo office" on the mac. It is slow but it is the same as open office for the PC.

    Reply
  19. .: On Tokyo Time :. » Have You Missed This?

    […] Firefox computer: The other day I was rambling again how the value of “MY” computer has gone down dramatically. I just need “A” computer. As long as it has a decent Internet connection I have access to all my important data. Most of what I do is somewhere online today (or moving there). Pretty much what Toni describes as The Firefox Computer. […]

    Reply
  20. EeePC « Toni’s Garage

    […] while ago, I asked for a Firefox computer, a simple solid state laptop that’s optimized to run just Firefox. Yesterday I got an EeePC […]

    Reply
  21. Hilma Volk Avatar
    Hilma Volk

    Firefox would be okay if you're only doing web stuff. But what about software ? While there are software converters and programs that let your view documents made with other systems, the interchangeabiliy isn't perfece.

    If you use more than text, www, email and Adobe I don't know why you would want two different operating systems.

    Software on it's own system can be unstable enough.

    Reply
  22. jmk Avatar
    jmk

    What would be the ideal specs on things like screen size? Is a battery needed? I am guessing that a notebook form factor is desired, it does make it easier to move around.

    How much local storage? 8 gig. would give a decent Linux install with growth and be reasonably cheap.

    Reply
  23. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    Very good article. Thanks for the good information!.

    Reply
  24. TechCrunch interested in developing own web tablet — with your help | last100

    […] editor Steve O’Hear has been a big advocate of the so-called ultra-portable Netbook computer from Day One. Now we see others are just as […]

    Reply
  25. Mozilla in Asia » Blog Archive » The Firefox computer circa 2008

    […] Automattic) post from February 2007, when he claimed that he only needed a browser to do his work: The Firefox computer. I want a Firefox computer. A nice, sleek, solid state notebook with a big screen that you open up […]

    Reply
  26. Mobile Solution Blog Avatar
    Mobile Solution Blog

    I'm browsing with google about "firefox" and i found this article, i agree with you about it

    Reply

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