computer science

I-Opener

I-Opener is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand I-Opener rather than just read about it. In short: The i-Opener is a discontinued low-cost internet appliance produced by Netpliance (later known as TippingPoint) between 1999 and 2002. The hardware was sold as a loss leader for a monthly internet service.

Key takeaways

I-Opener belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect I-Opener to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of I-Opener from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The i-Opener is a discontinued low-cost internet appliance produced by Netpliance (later known as TippingPoint) between 1999 and 2002. The hardware was sold as a loss leader for a monthly internet service. Because of the low cost of the hardware, it was popular with computer hobbyists, who modified it to run desktop PC software without the internet service.

History Netpliance introduced the i-Opener in November 1999 at a $99 promotional price. It was designed to be an easy-to-use, low-cost internet appliance for first-time users of the World Wide Web. Access to the internet was limited to Netpliance's own $21/month service plan, and users were limited to Netpliance's own web browser. There was no provision for installing third-party software. The keyboard had a dedicated key for ordering pizza from participating pizza parlors.

The hardware was sold below cost as a loss leader, with the expectation that Netpliance would recoup the money lost in manufacturing costs via its service plan. Analysts estimated the cost of the hardware to be $300–$400, and Netpliance cited costs of $499. The price was planned to increase to $199 after the promotional period. Shortly after the device's introduction, an engineer discovered that it used commodity computer hardware. By modifying the hardware, users were able to load their own software onto the i-Opener, bypassing the need for the subscription service plan. Although this disrupted Netpliance's business model, Netpliance initially welcomed these users, assuming that most customers would not be willing to install custom parts. As demand among computer hobbyists grew, retail outlets reported shortages, and Netpliance attempted to prevent custom hardware or software from being installed on new stock.Originally, the IDE port pins were flipped, needing a special cable to connect a HDD. Later, they installed a new BIOS, removing the ability to boot off of other mediums. However this was done rather hastily, leaving the other BIOS that could still boot the other mediums. Among other attempts to stop it, they resorted to clipping pins off of the IDE connector before the i-Opener was later taken off the market.[1] Netpliance instead directed people to their developer program. In April 2000, Netpliance canceled existing orders on its website if buyers refused to accept a $499 termination fee for the service plan. Buyers protested the change in the terms of sale, and Netpliance was fined $100,000 by the Federal Trade Commission in 2001. By July 2000, the price of the i-Opener had quadrupled to $400, and Netpliance left the internet device market in January 2002.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with I-Opener

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what I-Opener claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to I-Opener before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about I-Opener ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of I-Opener

In research: I-Opener appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses I-Opener in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: I-Opener is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 1999, Information appliances, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for I-Opener outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study I-Opener in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what I-Opener means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain I-Opener out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is I-Opener in simple terms?

Why does I-Opener matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study I-Opener?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on I-Opener.