[TheAnimus]

For what it's worth I'm happily using the modern incantation of WebTV, my FireTV Stick.

I have my 'TV' on demand, whenever I want it, I can run some web related apps, even hacked something together for controlling my lights.

I don't think WebTV was a bad idea. I think it was just too early and lacked that critical video on demand concept.

In the UK there was a gap for a long time that was filled by 'Smart' functions of Sky TV's digibox. This used a modem to upload content, and allowed for receiving of good quality video from sat, as a result you could watch the 'latest' films, for around £3 and only have to wait a few minutes before it would start. Automatically from the box interface, rather than via a call centre. But this was just the start, shopping was possible, you could order products and the like.

Now we live in a world where Amazon Instant isn't even on my desktop web browser, instead needing an 'app' for a phone, and apparently mine isn't even supported. There are lots of people who want to consume 'web' functions from a device other than a computer.

[codewithcheese]

One brings the Web on the TV (Web TV) the other brings TV on the Web (Streaming, Netflix) which you end up watching on your TV. Turns out people like watching TV on their TV.