Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Nomadic or Mobile Computing

Nomadic computing is concerned with the connection of portable (mobile) computers, and with the migration of software, from a home platform to a remote one;

– It is now recognized that access to computing and communications is necessary not only from one's "home base," but also while one is in transit and when one reaches one's destination.

– The goal of "transparent virtual networking" or "nomadic" computing is precisely to permit users and programs to be as effective as possible in this environment of uncertain connectivity, without changes to the manner in which they operate.

– Using diverse phones from everywhere in the world is not activity that could be called nomadic computing (because there is no computing (data processing) involved)

– Dragging around a laptop and working with it without being able to set up a connection to the “home base” through a computer network is neither nomadic
computing in a strong sense; one must be able to communicate with “home base” and people in other organizations

– Does nomadic computing require some devices to be dragged around by the people?
(not necessarily, an infrastructure with suitable access devices could be offered to traveling people - in the same manner as telephones are offered in hotels, airports, etc.)

– Another important development are the advances in computer networking infrastructure that make global connectivity possible.

– One notable development is the Internet as a global networking infrastructure, but in this context especially the wireless technologies are very important.

• The role of wireless technologies in mobile computing:

– wired portable devices can be connected to the network infrastructure only in certain locations for a certain period of time => communication activity of a
nomad is spatially and temporally restricted – wireless portable devices, especially those operating with radio transmitter/receiver avoid the above problem to a great extent


nomadic or mobile computing consists of: traveling people using
portable wireless computing and communication devices connected to
computer network infrastructure supporting global connectivity and remote computing

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