MALONE REINVENTS THE BOX

[Charles Behney <charlesaugust@theriver.com>]

  Imagine a linux kernel box, with an extended ROM/BIOS for compression
  hardware, and output devices such as printers. Could the Corel video box
  be on this path? 
  
  http://www.wired.com/news/news/business/story/9162.html
  
  > TCI to Drop $3 Billion into Set-Top
  >                      Boxes
  >                      Wired News Report 
  > 
  >                      8:58am  15.Dec.97.PST
  >                      One of the biggest players in the cable business,
  >                      Tele-Communications Inc., has called upon
  >                      dominant powers in the PC business, including
  >                      Intel and Microsoft, to supply as many as 10
  >                      million set-top boxes to turn televisions into
  >                      network computers, The Wall Street Journal
  >                      reported today. The deal is estimated to be worth
  >                      more than US$3 billion. Today is the deadline for
  >                      TCI to receive technical proposals from parties
  >                      interested in making the set-top boxes. 
  > 
  >                      If TCI's cable affiliates fall in line, the purchase
  >                      could grow to 25 million units and set the de facto
  >                      standard for digital TV. TCI's specifications call for
  >                      services to include digital compression that will
  >                      provide 10 to 12 channels of programming for each
  >                      current channel; links to sports and business
  >                      news; the ability to make online transactions;
  >                      integrated VCR controls for easy recording;
  >                      attachments for viewing over both TV sets and
  >                      computers; video-on-demand; email; games;
  >                      software downloads; and more.