Solution:

               

We have been studying obsolescence and security problems over a 20 year period. We discovered that there must be some fundamental principles to follow in information system architectures and designs. The ten such principles are:

• Inherent security
• Obsolescence-resilient systems
• Application and owner centric focus
• Bare machine computing (BMC)
• Object-oriented (OO) methodology
• Green computing
• Upward compatibility
• No middleware
• No layering
• No heterogeneity.
  
  Some of these principles may be controversial to many people, but they will considerably minimize obsolescence and maximize security in information systems. In order to demonstrate a system adopting some of the above principles, we have constructed numerous complex applications based on bare machine computing (BMC) paradigm. Our solution to the current computing problem is to simply eliminate all middleware and make the hardware bare thus resulting in the BMC paradigm. The BMC approach makes all computing devices bare by not including any valuable resources (persistent storage and software) in the machine.
  
  Thus, there is nothing to protect or monitor any valuable resources other than vandalism. A computing box simply consists of CPU, Memory and I/O as intended by von Neumann architecture. A computing device could be a PC, Laptop, Large Computer, IPAD, Smartphone, or any other network appliance. A bare machine will be activated using a detachable device that boots and loads an application to run. When a given application or a set of applications running in the machine, there are no other applications running in the machine. The set of applications running at a time are self-controlled, self-managed and self-executable. All persistent data is stored on the external mass storage or on the network which is secured and managed by the owners. When an application suite is running, it will only provide functionality that is needed for that suite, nothing more or nothing less. There are no open doors for the intruders to entertain. This is not an open system, nor a universal system to do universal things. It is application centric and user controlled approach. When BMC becomes viable, then a given application may run on any bare device which has no ownership. That is, one can use any Laptop any where that is available. In such world, one can use any one's cell phone by simply plugging in their USB flash drive. A user carries his/her detachable mass storage device with their own applications and data. This approach will change the computing as we know today in every aspect of information technology. It will provide enormous benefits in reducing obsolescence, reducing number of devices, reducing computer dump, reducing rapid unnecessary releases, and improving productivity in information technology. In additon, current global Internet can be used to host "Bare Internet" applications, where bare machine users communicate within their own domain of users as a an "Intra-net." Current Internet entertains all users without distinguishing between a bad and a good user.
  
  When information systems architecture and design is based on bare machine computing, it will result in systems based on software/hardware foundations, instead of products based on short term profits and continued revenues. The solutions proposed here span across many information system facets. It is a daunting task to connvice industry, researchers and government agencies to pursue such non-evolutionary approch. However, we pursue our mission to demonstrate feasibility of information systems based on bare machine computing paradigm.

   

  Potential Applications

   

  The solutions provided above can be used in any computer application or information system.