Intel Corp. plans to define the NetPC with detailed specifications next month. But how the market and manufacturers will define NetPCs is anybody's guess.

"I honestly do think the NetPC is short-term. The NetPC a few years from now will be a footnote in the history of computing," said Greg Blatnik, vice president of Zona Research Inc., Redwood City, Calif.

"The NC [network computer] might be a footnote. The NetPC might be an evolution of the PC," said David Cappuccio, vice president of research for Gartner Group Inc., a Stamford, Conn.-based research firm.

"Intel's strategy confuses things," said Chris Goodhue, research director of end-user computing at Gartner.

Here is what is muddying the issue: The difference between a NetPC and the new, better-managed PCs manufacturers are promising is fairly small. NetPCs probably will not have floppy drives, CD-ROM drives or expansion slots. Most likely the new platform will only have one PCI slot.

"What truly differentiates NetPCs from managed PCs is about $200, maybe $300," Goodhue said.

NetPCs, however, will have hard drives, or what Intel, Santa Clara, Calif., and Microsoft, Redmond, Wash., are referring to as "cache" to store applications downloaded from a server. The biggest supporters of network computers contend that any storage in the client makes it harder to centrally manage a network.

Further confusing matters are vendor plans to give NetPCs and PCs similar management features. Hewlett-Packard Co., Palo Alto, Calif., plans to unveil a comprehensive software management suite for PCs around the time the company introduces its NetPC, a spokesman said. HP claims that VARs will be able to configure a computer automatically, monitor software licensing agreements and better manage power.

Other planned features include the ability to update the status of components; remotely boot and troubleshoot problems; give selected access to applications; allow for users to move from one machine to another, and automate inventory.

"The risk is that this stuff might not all work together," regardless of whether the platform is a PC or NetPC, Gartner's Goodhue said.

That is not to say the NetPC will have no impact on reigning in the functionality of the PC, analysts said. Clearly, PC makers, Intel and Microsoft have all gotten the message that the channel wants computers that are not such a headache to control.

Source: Computer Reseller News