The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #69276   Message #1173660
Posted By: Blackcatter
28-Apr-04 - 09:03 PM
Thread Name: BS: Was the internet ever predicted
Subject: RE: BS: Was the internet ever predicted
I think that one reason why the Internet has so little SF "predictions" is because so much of it is mundane and frankly ho-hum. I primarily use the Internet to get basic information - on a daily basis I get notes from friends (emails) check the weather, buy things etc. Most SF books have beter things to do than describe that stuff. If I want to immediately communicate something vitally important to someone (which is a much more common type of communication) - I'm still going to call them.

We think of all the WOW inventions that SF has predicted - but what about cell-phones, air-bags, Walmart super centers, breast implants, digital cameras, etc.

Many SF writers (including Heinlein) have stories going back to the 50s and 60s where the house has a communications port that clearly not only handles stuff around the house, but communicates with the outside through (presumedly) other computers. A lot of time, characters seem to communicate using live video with other people but hey - you can do that on the internet too - it's called porn.