Hermann Hauser touted the NChannel device as the world’s first Network Computer to go on sale to the public, but Wyse Technology Inc is not convinced. The San Jose, California-based company shipped its first iAPX-86-based Winterm terminal, which for all intents and purposes qualifies as a Network Computer, a couple of months ago in the US (CI No 2,922), and has now managed to sign up two Internet service providers to provide software on demand (CI No 2,936). Little-known Woodinville, Washington-based Moose Logic Technologies Inc and First Internet Franchise Corp of San Clemente, California will rent software by the hour to Winterm users. Customers can either buy the $500 terminal, or rent the entire surfing-software-hardware package fo r about $40 a month, with an additional $1 per hour fee for use of software that is stored remotely on a server. The concept depends upon Internet service providers persuading major software companies to agree to license their applications for rental by many people simultaneously.
