The persona of a machine makes it fun, relaxing, usable, friendly, and less “mechanical” in spirit. Breaking in a new personal computer will become more like house-training a puppy. You will be able to purchase personality modules that include behavior and style of living of fictitious characters. You will be able to buy a Larry King personality for your newspaper interface. Kids might wish to surf the Net with Dr. Seuss … We will see systems with humor, systems that nudge and prod, even ones that are as stern and disciplinarian as a Bavarian nanny.
Predictor: Negroponte, Nicholas
Prediction, in context:In his 1995 book “Being Digital,” Nicholas Negroponte writes: ”The persona of a machine makes it fun, relaxing, usable, friendly, and less ‘mechanical’ in spirit. Breaking in a new personal computer will become more like house-training a puppy. You will be able to purchase personality modules that include behavior and style of living of fictitious characters. You will be able to buy a Larry King personality for your newspaper interface. Kids might wish to surf the Net with Dr. Seuss … We will see systems with humor, systems that nudge and prod, even ones that are as stern and disciplinarian as a Bavarian nanny.”
Biography:Nicholas Negroponte, a co-founder of MIT’s Media Lab and a popular speaker and writer about technologies of the future, wrote one of the 1990s’ best-selling books about the new future of communications, “Being Digital.” (Pioneer/Originator.)
Date of prediction: February 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Community/Culture
Subtopic: Human-Machine Interaction
Name of publication: Being Digital (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: Chapter 17: Digital Fables and Foibles
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 218
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne