During an interview with the Associate Press in Washington on Thursday, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer mused about the potential of the home computing environment and issued warnings to the heads of households.
Ballmer told reporters that his vision for future homes included centralized computing that makes it easier to manage information and run their home.
“The world of information gets more unified,” Ballmer said. “I want to be able to see what I need to see whether I’m on my PC or at my TV.”
But with that unification, Ballmer warned, came increased parental responsibility.
“We need to oversee and use technology and teach our children what’s appropriate,” he said. “Some of it’s still going to have to come from parents kind of teaching their kids what’s right. That was true even before the Internet.”
Ballmer warned that online shoppers seem to have become lax about security. He attributes the reduced concern to a reprieve from major Internet attacks.
“I don’t want trepidation high, but on the other hand I want people aware of what’s going on and taking appropriate precautions,” Ballmer said. “I’m afraid that may have declined, a little too much.”
Another member of the alliance, Dale Fuller of Borland Software, threw in some of his own interesting musings. Fuller foresees cars that that can tell if the driver’s been drinking. Once these conceivable cars detect the presence of alcohol, they may be able to call a cab or a spouse-maybe even automatically reschedule early morning appointments.
