IÕd like to lift us out of the warm bath of self-congratulation in which we have been wallowing and speculate about the future. In my bleaker view, what was once our little pride and joy will be taken over by commercial institutions that have little interest in the kind of interpersonal and intergroup communications that has thus far dominated network usage. Commercial exploitation of all sorts will be forced into every nook and cranny, just as it is on todayÕs television.
Predictor: Ornstein, Severo
Prediction, in context:The 1995 book “The Information Revolution,” edited by Donald Altschiller, carries a reprint of a 1994 Computerworld article ÒThe History of the Future,Ó by senior editor Gary H. Anthes. Anthes interviewed more than a dozen pioneers of ARPAnet, forerunner to todayÕs Internet, including Severo Ornstein, who in 1969 at Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) had the responsibility for packet switch hardware design. He founded Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. Anthes quotes Ornstein saying: ÒIÕd like to lift us out of the warm bath of self-congratulation in which we have been wallowing and speculate about the future. In my bleaker view, what was once our little pride and joy will be taken over by commercial institutions that have little interest in the kind of interpersonal and intergroup communications that has thus far dominated network usage. Commercial exploitation of all sorts will be forced into every nook and cranny, just as it is on todayÕs television.Ó
Date of prediction: January 1, 1994
Topic of prediction: General, Overarching Remarks
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: The Information Revolution (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: The History of the Future
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 44
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne