Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison was the network computer’s biggest champion. He liked it so much, he started the company, calling it Network Computer Inc. But through most of 1998, network computers were considered a disappointment, since they failed to replace the PC or sell in appliance-like volumes. The term fell into disfavor. By the time NCI got around to planning its IPO earlier this year, it discarded the name and replaced it with Liberate Technologies Inc. Possibly as a result, the Oracle hardware spin-off has enjoyed a moderately successful stock market debut.
On the same day, Ellison demonstrated that he has lost none of his taste for the buzzword of the moment. Apparently Oracle is hard at work on another low-cost hardware platform. This one is at once less ambitious and more; it’s Intel-based, but it runs Linux. It’s supposed to have 64MB of RAM and no hard drive – it will boot from a CD. In other words, it’s network-attached without being network-dependent. Pricing will be $250 with a monitor, $150 without. Without a monitor it costs less than Microsoft Office, Ellison told reporters; that’s an interesting thought. Once again, Ellison will set up a separate company to sell the devices. Never say die!
