SYSTEM SOFTWARE FOR NETWORKED PORTABLE COMPUTERS

USERS OF DESKTOP PERSONAL COMPUTERS AND WORKSTATIONS DEPEND ON A NETWORK FOR SHARED ACCESS TO FILES AND OTHER RESOURCES. RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN HARDWARE TECHNOLOGY HAVE MADE PORTABLE COMPUTERS THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT IN PERSONAL COMPUTING. NETWORK ACCESS AND STAND-ALONE USAGE ARE SUPPORTED, BUT THERE IS NO ASSISTANCE FOR NETWORKED PORTABLE MACHINES WHEN THEY ARE DICONNECTED. THIS DEFICIENCY LIMITS THE PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT ACHEIVABLE WITH PORTABLE MACHINES. RESEARCHERS ARE DEVELOPING NEW CONCEPTS AND TECHNIQUES FOR SUPPORTING NETWORK USERS WHEN THEIR SYSTEMS ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THE NETWORK. DISCONNECTION IS TREATED AS A NORMAL, DESIRABLE MODE OF OPERATION. DISCONNECTED MACHINES ARE ABLE TO DELIVER MOST OF THE FUNCTIONALITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE NETWORK ENVIRONMENT INCLUDING ACCESS TO (PSEUDO) SHARED NETWORK FILES AND OTHER RESOURCES.