There seems little question that an electronic superhighway will exist. When, who will build it and how eager average Americans will be to use it are other questions. While many Americans seem interested, the convergence of so many technologies needs to be easy to use – in a single box at home, and at a price people are willing to pay. Some skeptics believe that, like existing computer networks, the superhighway will be navigated by an elite circle of techno-freaks.
Predictor: Epstein, Keith
Prediction, in context:In a 1993 article for The Cleveland Plain Dealer on the projected information highway, reporter Keith Epstein writes: ”Will it really happen? There seems little question that an electronic superhighway will exist. When, who will build it and how eager average Americans will be to use it are other questions. While many Americans seem interested, the convergence of so many technologies needs to be easy to use – in a single box at home, and at a price people are willing to pay. Some skeptics believe that, like existing computer networks, the superhighway will be navigated by an elite circle of techno-freaks. A primitive version of a global computer network, Internet, is far from user-friendly – meaning easy to use. In fact, it’s user-hostile (meaning the author of this article couldn’t figure out how to use it). Scientists know the code words, but even the computer-literate need guidebooks to get around.”
Date of prediction: May 1, 1993
Topic of prediction: Information Infrastructure
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: Cleveland Plain Dealer
Title, headline, chapter name: Basic Questions Dog Electronic Road
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=e261cbbd27b08561468dd4c6cd0d92d6&_docnum=10&wchp=dGLbVzb-lSlAl&_md5=0740e7b68ceb68415217ca53c014bcc7
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Pagano, Shawna