Network Computer Reference Profile - NC1

NC1

The first version of this specification was known as the NC1 Reference Profile.

NCRP specified minimum hardware requirements and software protocols. Among the software requirements were support of IP-based protocols (TCP/IP, FTP, etc.), www standards (HTTP, HTML, Java), email protocols, multimedia file formats, security standards. Operating systems used were NCOS or JavaOS.

The minimum hardware requirements were:

• minimum screen resolution of 640 x 480 (VGA) or equivalent
• pointing device
• text input ability
• audio output

Although this initial NC standard was intended to promote the diskless workstation model of computing, it did not preclude computers with additional features, such as the ability to operate either as a diskless workstation or a conventional fat client. Thus, an ordinary personal computer (PC) having all the required features, could technically be classified as a Network Computer; indeed, Sun noted that contemporary PCs did indeed meet the NC reference requirements.