You must make sure the new technologies are cheap and fast. From the beginning, they must be as inexpensive as current alternatives and as fast as possible. A digital telephone line shouldn’t cost a penny more than an analog one. In fact, since analog service is actually derived from the digital guts of the telephone network digital lines should be cheaper. And yes, if you follow the law of the Microcosm, you will have to let things get out of control. Videophones will become commonplace. Remote links to offices and online services will become transparent. New and possibly dangerous unintended consequences will pop up.
Predictor: Stahlman, Mark
Prediction, in context:In a 1994 article he wrote for Network Computing magazine, Mark Stahlman, president of New Media Associates, says: ”Given our meager understanding of the relationship between technology and society, there is only one way to find out what will happen to markets, industries and ultimately lifestyles when new technologies are available: Do it. Make the technologies available to everyone. And then see what happens. You must make sure the new technologies are cheap and fast. From the beginning, they must be as inexpensive as current alternatives and as fast as possible. A digital telephone line shouldn’t cost a penny more than an analog one. In fact, since analog service is actually derived from the digital guts of the telephone network digital lines should be cheaper. And yes, if you follow the law of the Microcosm, you will have to let things get out of control. Videophones will become commonplace. Remote links to offices and online services will become transparent. New and possibly dangerous unintended consequences will pop up.”
Biography:Mark Stahlman was the president of the New York-based research and financial services firm New Media Associates in the 1990s. (Entrepreneur/Business Leader.)
Date of prediction: March 1, 1994
Topic of prediction: Communication
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: Network Computing
Title, headline, chapter name: Who’s Kidding Whom?
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=b00021d8b11154f9eeed042594dcd37c...
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney