Does Anyone Actually Want A Home Server?

Junko Yoshida questions the demand for wireless home networks with a central server hub in a piece in EE Times this week:

I remember hearing about a digital future in which every home has a server, “just like a furnace in the basement.” This “basement server” – connected to digital cable, satellite, DSL and so on – is envisioned as delivering music, video and multimedia content to a variety of digital consumer devices throughout the home.

Technologists, typically demonstrating a rather complex user interface, have shown how I can pick any song, video clip or movie that fits my mood, and summon it instantly to any TV anywhere in the house. This, they have said, is a veritable digital-home nirvana.

Frankly, I’ve never bought into the idea. We all know how electronics systems can go haywire – without warning. What happens if the basement server mysteriously shorts out and the whole home entertainment system – connected to this home server – fizzles? What do we do? Pump out the cellar? Call the Orkin Man? The Geek Squad?

I think I must fall into Yoshida’s “technologist” category, because I love having access to videos, audio or anything else throughout my house and even remotely. User interfaces are getting better and hardware – with the help of appropriate backup and RAID approaches – is quite reliable.

I understand the need to make technology accessible, and I think that many of the home server solutions available are just a rev or two at most away from being as easy to use as a TiVo.