Go Farther: Skins And Beyond

The presence of the Kno and similar specialty devices and specially-configured general computing device made me think of one thing – "pre-loaded software."

Remember when pre-loaded software was the bane of a new computer?  Where a system, no matter how pristine, too often came with assorted programs, tools, and invasive software you'd never planned to use?  Now it's a selling point – because people are getting pre-loaded software they want.  Which made me think of some other potentials . . .



There are many ways to configure a computer device.  Perhaps you want it for media consumption, for business, for college, for art.  It wouldn't take much for a computer or computing device to be set up quickly and easily for a given use – in many ways that's done now.

This made me think of the ways we customize our browsers and desktops and so on with "Skins."  We customize our game consoles with simple downloaded packages.  We are used to customized and themed elements in our technology.

So why not take this farther and "Skin" our computing technology with full-featured packages of software and features?

Imagine downloading (or selecting) an Art Skin for your iPad – that sets up art programs, directories, etc.  Imagine having a computing system that lets you change entire configurations for business or art or home use with a few clicks – changing what's in menus, adjusting graphic settings, etc.  Simple imagine being able to select – or download – entire, configurable packages to change a device into something else.

So people already are getting behind the newer ways of delivering pre-loaded software.  Why not create entire pre-loaded and loadable systems and setups . . .

Steven Savage