Friday, January 07, 2005

Home Computer As Of 2004

Another infamous how-will-technology-look-like prediction.



From the text: "Scientists of RAND Corporation have created this model to illustrate how a 'home computer' could look like in the year 2004. [...] The scientists readily admit that the computer will require not yet invented technology. [...] With teletype interface and the Fortran langage, the computer will be easy to use [...]"

I personally like the bulkhead wheel. What is that, did RAND invent the trackpoint before IBM did?

Update: Did some further research (the bulkhead wheel had made me suspicious), and yes, it's a hoax. In reality, this is the maneuvering console of a 1950's US submarine. Here is the original photograph, taken at the Smithsonian Institution exhibit "Fast Attacks and Boomers: Submarines in the Cold War" in the year 2000:

More at Snopes.Com.