] Somewhere in Andrew's house is a hefty Linux server
] running many applications, including an Asterisk Open
] Source VoIP software PBX. There is no desktop PC in
] Andrew's house. Instead, he runs a Linux thin client on
] a Sharp Zaurus SL-6000 Linux PDA. Sitting in its cradle
] on Andrew's desk at home, the Zaurus (running a special
] copy of Debian Linux, NOT as shipped by Sharp) connects
] to a full-size keyboard and VGA display, and runs
] applications on the server. Another cradle, monitor and
] keyboard are at Andrew's office, where he also doesn't
] have a PC. Walking around in his house, the Zaurus
] (equipped with a tri-mode communications card) is a WiFi
] VoIP phone running through the Asterisk PBX and
] connecting to the Vonage VoIP network. Walking out of
] his house, the Zaurus automatically converts to the local
] mobile phone carrier, though with a data connection that
] still runs back through Vonage.
]
] Yeah, but what about that wireless TV? How does that
] work? Andrew's server runs Myth TV, an Open Source
] digital video recorder application, storing on disk in
] MPEG-4 format (1.5-2 megabits-per-second) more than
] 30,000 TV episodes, movies and MP3 music files.

Cringely's vision of the wifi future. I can tell you from personal experience that none of this crap works half as well as you'd want it to, and it has about twice the security concerns that you're thinking. But it is the future. The FOSS version of it anyway. The FOSS future is a future in which nothing quite works right but you can do anything you want with it. In the alternate future you can pretty much do most of the same stuff, with some restrictions, particularly on your creativity, and everything costs a monthly fee, but it all works perfectly.

FOSS isn't going to be what you are using at home. FOSS is a check upon professional consumer electronics world. Its like the bad cop to their good cop on the media industries. If the commercial stuff is too expensive or too controlling, it will be less trouble to struggle with the FOSS stuff. FOSS will keep the prices down and the capabilities open, but only to a certain extent...

But thats not the point. The point is that this is the future. You have one network connection. You have one phone. It works everywhere. Its flat rate, mostly. Asterisk probably works a hell of a lot better then MythTV, because there is money in it. A lot of money.

When internet video conferencing gets cheaper and better, the phone call paradigm is going to die. You'll just leave it on. You'll leave it on because why hang up. If you friend comes over to hang out you don't just kick them out all of a sudden because you've got nothing else to talk about. You'll share audio and video of your friend's places all the time, unless you want privacy and pull the shades. It will be like you are all in the same place all the time.

PBS | I, Cringely... WIFI near future