Posted by BJ
“This paper is largely a work of fiction, bordering on fantasy.”
That’s the handwritten note that a college professor put on a paper submitted by a friend of mine (Howdy Dawne! How’s things in Sunny CA?). This was in 1995.
And many of you will be familiar with the statement made by Ken Olsen, the head of Digital Equipment Corporation, in 1977:
And many of you will be familiar with the statement made by Ken Olsen, the head of Digital Equipment Corporation, in 1977:
“There is no reason for an individual to have a computer in his home.”*
It seems more often than not a new idea or concept is met with this kind of thinking. “You must be crazy”, “That will never happen” or “What have you been smokin’ mate?” are typical responses to a new, “outside-the-box” concept.
This topic came up during a recent meeting wherein I was discussing the future of proposals (this was the question we posed at the APMP conference as part of ‘Grass Roots’ session). A few of the ideas brought up were met with such statements. Among the ideas were – Proposals that emulate the very best, most interactive web pages. Embedded video. Self opening links (they open when the page senses you are reading that line, etc.) and even more ‘far-fetched’ ideas.
The topic of Dawne’s paper and the comment that drew the professor’s remark? The internet, web and the her contention that, “In the not too distant future people will be making hotel and airline reservations, buying tickets to events and speaking with people around the world.”
——————--
* Interestingly, absolutely demonstrating how far off the mark the professor was, I ‘googled’ the Ken Olsen quote (it’s true!), on a computer (one of 4) in my home (in my jammies no less).
This topic came up during a recent meeting wherein I was discussing the future of proposals (this was the question we posed at the APMP conference as part of ‘Grass Roots’ session). A few of the ideas brought up were met with such statements. Among the ideas were – Proposals that emulate the very best, most interactive web pages. Embedded video. Self opening links (they open when the page senses you are reading that line, etc.) and even more ‘far-fetched’ ideas.
The topic of Dawne’s paper and the comment that drew the professor’s remark? The internet, web and the her contention that, “In the not too distant future people will be making hotel and airline reservations, buying tickets to events and speaking with people around the world.”
——————--
* Interestingly, absolutely demonstrating how far off the mark the professor was, I ‘googled’ the Ken Olsen quote (it’s true!), on a computer (one of 4) in my home (in my jammies no less).