Has the Rate of Technical Progress Slowed? 712
Amiga Trombone writes "An article in the IEEE Spectrum argues that the rate of technological progress has slowed in the last 50 years. While there have been advances in areas such as computers, communications and medicine, etc., the author points out that these advances have largely been incremental rather than revolutionary. He contrasts the progress made within the life-span of his grandmother (1880-1960) with that in his own (1956-present). Having been born the year after the author, I've noticed this, too. While certainly we've produced some useful refinements, little of the technology available today would have surprised me much had I been able to encounter it in 1969. While some of it has been implemented in surprising ways, the technology itself had largely been anticipated."
Twenty-first century arrives after slight delay (Score:2, Funny)
After a minor shipping delay [today.com], flying cars have arrived for all. As of today, all major cities also feature moving pavements and weather control and commuter flights to the Moon will be commencing tomorrow.
Earth President Barack Obama welcomed the representatives of the Galactic Brotherhood to Washington, assuring them that the many wars on Earth were now to be conducted entirely by robots, though the robots would be carefully monitored and pulled out of battle and granted citizenship the moment they achieved sentience. He also offered the galactics free access to Google, with only the requirement for tasteful contextually-attuned text advertising to be imprinted on their DNA.
The reactionary forces of the twentieth-century United States finally conceded defeat and shut down the Five-Year Plan Tractor Plants of Detroit, where ridiculous oversized transport was bashed together by semi-literate peasants between fifths of vodka from the nerve gas factory next door, and the Five-Year Plan Software Plants of Redmond, where ridiculous oversized operating systems were bashed together by semi-numerate fresh graduates between fifths of Red Bull. The record and movie company back catalogues have been placed into the public domain for the preservation of human culture and the comic-book capitalists of Wall Street have been sent to calming, soothing, humanistic re-education facilities. "We'll teach them to love again," said Mr Obama.
Robot housecleaners are now universally available at quite reasonable prices. The robot companion for your child, designed to say "I LOVE YOU" while the child hits it repeatedly, was an early release for Christmas 2007. The new model features the voice of Justin Fletcher from CBeebies and is designed for parents to hit repeatedly.
Future innovations for the century include the rise of the Great Old Ones from their eternal sleep to take back the Earth and consume the souls of all humanity, first driving them slowly insane. The citizenry is being prepared for this eventuality using repeated broadcasts of Teletubbies, Waybuloo and In The Night Garden.
Re:How could this be? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Yes (Score:5, Funny)
In 1999 I was on slashdot from a computer not much different from this one.
Yes, but in 1999 did you have twitter? Facebook? Now that's progress.
Why - just think, by 2029, you might be able to let everyone know the consistency of your latest shit, just by thinking about it!
Re:How could this be? (Score:2, Funny)
This is why I boycott Sonny Bono's music. Actually, so far I have been surprisingly strong in this.
Re:Flying Car (Score:5, Funny)
You're flying in the wrong mode. Switch to arcade.
Faith engineers (Score:2, Funny)
Can you even imagine a faith based engineer?:
- The Lord will split the river in two for us to build the dam, amen.
- Let's pray to Jesus Christ this holy bridge, made in the image of Moses' Ark, holds its own.
Might sound silly, but if some zealots have their way in changing education content, say, with stuff like intelligent design... who knows
Re:Twenty-first century arrives after slight delay (Score:5, Funny)
It turns out that the Galactic Brotherhood is here to get compensation for our theft of their IP. Seems that SETI@home wasn't recording noise but the encoded libraries of several thousand civilizations, and we at home were processing a lot of copyrighted material. With damages and interest, we owe them everything from the center of the Sun out to about Saturn. And we get disconnected from the electromagnetic spectrum.
Re:Flying Car (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Flying Car (Score:5, Funny)
Well, this is all linked to economy...
This is obvious that progress alone does not drive decisions. Money does.
So what you're saying is... in reality we are the Ferengi [memory-alpha.org].
Re:Flying Car (Score:1, Funny)
s/we/republicans, get it right! This is Slashdot, it is all the Republicans fault! Obama is our savior, he will give us all free Internets!
Re:Flying Car (Score:2, Funny)
Re:WAR, what is it good for? (Score:3, Funny)
I...n Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock
And fondue and raclette. Renaissance art is nice and all, but the swiss invented entire meals made of melted cheese...
Re:Flying Car (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Yes (Score:4, Funny)
I owe my practically flawless English (I'm French) to chatting with Americans on AIM ever since I was 15
On AIM? That, sir, is what we call a miracle.
Re:Flying Car (Score:3, Funny)
[spooling up the GPS jammer]
[spooling up the broad spectrum RF jammer]
I don't know what you're talking about. Simple location based systems are very reliable. They're as reliable as the internet that we're us%^&*%^&*(^@&#%@)(*
[NO CARRIER]
Re:Flying Car (Score:3, Funny)
Or who just have really bad aim ;-)