ccplumb@rose.uwaterloo.ca (Colin Plumb) (01/27/91)
I just saw 2001: A Space Odyssey again tonight. "I am a HAL 9000 Computer. I became operational at H.A.L. Laboratories in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January, 1992." That was, at the time, a rather long-term prediction. It doesn't look like it will come true. The user interfaces give all the computer technology away. But it's interesting to compare the past expectations of computer advances with the present state of the art. I believe centralisation and cost are two big assumptions made in 2001 which have proved to be false. Any others? (No need to drag out the "world market for computers is 18" (or whatever the number was) quote, I don't think.) -- -Colin
frank@grep.co.uk (Frank Wales) (01/29/91)
In article <1991Jan27.083412.14484@watdragon.waterloo.edu> ccplumb@rose.uwaterloo.ca (Colin Plumb) writes: >"I am a HAL 9000 Computer. I became operational at H.A.L. Laboratories >in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January, 1992." > >I believe centralisation and cost are two big assumptions made >in 2001 which have proved to be false. Any others? One assumption which is very true is the pervasiveness of the number 9000 amongst high-end products (Saab 9000, Minolta 9000, HP-9000, VAX 9000...). I'm sure there's a tremendous numerological significance to it all. :-) -- Frank Wales, Grep Limited, [frank@grep.co.uk<->uunet!grep!frank] Kirkfields Business Centre, Kirk Lane, LEEDS, UK, LS19 7LX. (+44) 532 500303
davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.COM (Wm E Davidsen Jr) (01/31/91)
In article <1991Jan29.102905.21087@grep.co.uk> frank@grep.co.uk (Frank Wales) writes: | One assumption which is very true is the pervasiveness of the number | 9000 amongst high-end products (Saab 9000, Minolta 9000, HP-9000, VAX 9000...). | I'm sure there's a tremendous numerological significance to it all. :-) Nostradamus explains this. -- bill davidsen (davidsen@crdos1.crd.GE.COM -or- uunet!crdgw1!crdos1!davidsen) "I'll come home in one of two ways, the big parade or in a body bag. I prefer the former but I'll take the latter" -Sgt Marco Rodrigez