Microsoft pressemelding om NetPC

Oct. 28, 1996
Microsoft and Intel Launch NetPC with Industry Leaders
New Addition to Industry Standard PC Platform Complements Microsoft's "Zero Administration" Initiative for Windows and Intel's Wired for Management initiative to Reduce Ownership Costs of PCs
REDMOND, Wash., and SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Oct. 28, 1996 — Microsoft Corporation and Intel Corporation, with support from other leading software and hardware vendors, today announced an initiative to develop the NetPC reference platform. The NetPC is a new member of the PC family that will reduce the costs of business computing by optimizing design for a particular class of task-oriented users that do not require the flexibility and expandability of the traditional PC.

Based on Industry Standards
The NetPC is a new PC family member, not a replacement, that allows PC vendors to build Intel architecture and Windows-based systems which lower the cost of owning PCs. The overall benefit will be reduced support costs, a stable hardware platform for several years, a lower initial purchase price, and the ability to build upon existing organization training, development, and capital investments in Windows and applications designed for Windows.
PCs have always offered the highest level of price/performance, compatibility and adaptability. Customers want to continue to reap these benefits, but have a PC option that supports even lower cost of ownership. The NetPC reference platform will specify industry standard components (processor, memory, hard drive, video, and audio) with integrated network adapter or modem in a locked case with limited expandability to prevent end user modification.
"This new effort, to deliver a PC platform for specific types of users, builds upon Intel's Wired for Management initiative to reduce TCO without sacrificing necessary performance," said Frank Gill, executive vice president at Intel Corporation. "By delivering an appropriate level of flexibility, the NetPC is the natural next step in further reducing TCO while maintaining the strategic value that PCs deliver to business."
"The NetPC offers the critical elements of both PC computing and network computing without introducing costly incompatibilities. The NetPC will provide customers with the best combination of end-user simplicity, low cost of ownership and high return on investment of any solution available for task oriented computing," said Jacques Clay, general manager in charge of Hewlett-Packard's worldwide commercial PC business. "HP is committed to delivering a NetPC solution in 1997 as part of our Vectra PC family, extending the range of best-in-class client, network and systems management solutions we offer to our desktop customers."

NetPC Complements TCO Reduction Initiatives
The NetPC, along with most traditional PCs, will enable customers to reap the benefits of Microsoft's "Zero Administration" initiative for Windows and Intel's Wired for Management initiative. For instance, it will allow organizations to easily update software remotely or allow users to move seamlessly from one machine to another with all their data and applications accessible and their customized environment automatically applied to the new PC.
"The NetPC will be an important PC platform which organizations can deploy to increase return on investment, especially when combined with Microsoft's 'Zero Administration' initiative for Windows," said Paul Maritz, group vice president at Microsoft. "The 'Zero Administration' initiative builds on companies' existing investment in Windows, while allowing them to automate PC management and deploy the widest choice of applications in a controlled way."

Broad Industry Support for the NetPC
Leading PC manufacturers announcing support today for the NetPC include Compaq Computer Corp., Dell Computer Corp., Digital Equipment Corp., Gateway 2000 Inc., Hewlett Packard, Packard Bell NEC and Texas Instruments Inc.
"Compaq's objective is to maximize customer value by delivering systems solutions with the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry," said John T. Rose, Senior Vice President and Group General Manager, Enterprise Computing Group, Compaq Computer Corporation. "Compaq looks forward to working with Microsoft and Intel to deliver even further reductions in TCO with the addition of the NetPC to our commercial computing product line."

NetPC Reference Platform Requirements
As a part of their ongoing commitment to TCO reductions, Microsoft and Intel will lead an Open Design Review to finalize the specification for the NetPC in the last quarter of 1996. Requirements of the NetPC will include:
· Microprocessor: Pentium® processor 100 MHz or greater performance
· Minimum system memory: 16 MB
· Support internal hard disk for caching
· External keyboard connection
· External pointing device connection
· Display adapter minimum resolution: 640x480, 8 bpp, VGA compatible
· Support one of the following: Ethernet, token ring, 28.8 Kbit/sec modem, ISDN, T1, or ATM
· Each bus and driver complies with current Plug and Play specification
· Unique Plug and Play device ID for each system device and add-on device
· The user is protected from incorrectly connecting to devices
· Minimal user interaction needed to install and configure devices
· Device driver and installation meet Windows and Windows NT standards
· Audio
· Machine-readable unique ID per machine
· Audible noise quieter than 35 dBA, minimum
· PC case is lockable
· No end-user expansion slots

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