It's 2010 - where's my jetpack and my apartment on the moon?

by **The Kropotkinite Union** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 1:53 pm

Given that it is now the 31st of December, 2009, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss popular predictions of the future that were supposed to have come true, but didn't. For example, anyone remember the "paperless office?" How about the Y2K Bug, or worldwide socialism? Discuss.

by **New Ziedrich** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 1:55 pm

Moon apartment has been delayed unti 2040 due to ignorance and apathy. Also, where's my fusion and orbital solar power? >:(

by **Wallonochia** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 1:57 pm

I remember the "paperless society" computers were supposed to create. Now instead of writing it by hand once we print it 5 times...

However, I maintain that it's been the future since about 1996 or so because that's when the Internet really started to take off.

Ah, the glory days of Prodigy and AOL 3.5" disks in the mail.

by **Lacadaemon** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 1:59 pm

Wallonochia wrote:I remember the "paperless society" computers were supposed to create. Now instead of writing it by hand once we print it 5 times...

This is a constant source of irritation to me.

by **The Plutonian Empire** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:02 pm

We also should've had a derelict spaceship orbiting Jupiter by now.

by **Angleter** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:05 pm

We always overestimate the future.

May I be the first to say that by 2020 we will:

-Be well on the way to terraforming Mars and the Moon.
-All use those tube things on Futurama for transport.
-See the middle-classes begin to employ robotic servants.

by **Wallonochia** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:07 pm

Lacadaemon wrote:
Wallonochia wrote:I remember the "paperless society" computers were supposed to create. Now instead of writing it by hand once we print it 5 times...

This is a constant source of irritation to me.

In the military we've been able to combine the worst of both worlds by having sending forms via email, printing them out, signing them, scanning them and then emailing them back. Truly, it's a brave new world we live in.

by **Mad hatters in jeans** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:07 pm

Angleter wrote:We always overestimate the future.

May I be the first to say that by 2020 we will:

-Be well on the way to terraforming Mars and the Moon.
-All use those tube things on Futurama for transport.
-See the middle-classes begin to employ robotic servants.

I thought they already did. :eyebrow:

Y2K bug a myth, a paperless office hmmm too ambitious. Worldwide socialism? what are you some kind of tree-hugger?

by **New Ziedrich** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:13 pm

Wallonochia wrote:In the military we've been able to combine the worst of both worlds by having sending forms via email, printing them out, signing them, scanning them and then emailing them back. Truly, it's a brave new world we live in.

I can see why they'd do this, but come on.

by **OMGeverynameistaken** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:16 pm

We COULD have had jetpacks and moon apartments, but we've been busy spending money on IMPORTANT things. Like Iraq. And throwing money at rich people.

by **Vorvina** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:21 pm

We should have nations on the moon.
That would be fun considering the nuclear bombs I wield.

by **The Kropotkinite Union** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:22 pm

Mad hatters in jeans wrote:
Angleter wrote:We always overestimate the future.

May I be the first to say that by 2020 we will:

-Be well on the way to terraforming Mars and the Moon.
-All use those tube things on Futurama for transport.
-See the middle-classes begin to employ robotic servants.

I thought they already did.

Y2K bug a myth, a paperless office hmmm too ambitious. Worldwide socialism? what are you some kind of tree-hugger?

World socialism was one of the number one predictions of the 20th Century. The US and Russia had a decades-long Cold War over it and a nice little bunch of proxy wars as well. You hadn't noticed?

by **New Ziedrich** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:23 pm

OMGeverynameistaken wrote:We COULD have had jetpacks and moon apartments, but we've been busy spending money on IMPORTANT things. Like Iraq. And throwing money at rich people.

The solution, then, is to convince rich people that it's a desirable vacation spot.

by **Antilon** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:25 pm

I'm still waiting for that zombie apocalypse. I guess my best hope is for 2012. It would really suck to have wasted all my time playing games to train for something that won't happen in my lifetime...

Edit: The way things are going, I'll probably have to settle for a machine apocalypse.

by **Vorvina** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:26 pm

New Ziedrich wrote:
OMGeverynameistaken wrote:We COULD have had jetpacks and moon apartments, but we've been busy spending money on IMPORTANT things. Like Iraq. And throwing money at rich people.

The solution, then, is to convince rich people that it's a desirable vacation spot.

That my friend is called Real-estate

by **Birnadia** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:53 pm

According to Back to the Future, we're just 5 years away from flying cars and hoverboards!

by **The Plutonian Empire** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:54 pm

Birnadia wrote:According to Back to the Future, we're just 5 years away from flying cars and hoverboards!

We might make it that far, assuming we don't get screwed in the ass by the 2012 catastrophe.

by **F1-Insanity** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 3:03 pm

Wallonochia wrote:I remember the "paperless society" computers were supposed to create. Now instead of writing it by hand once we print it 5 times...

The fault lies in laws that are not adapted to the 'new era'.

Politicians to blame, as always :evil:

by **Lunatic Goofballs** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 3:03 pm

I'm tired of disappointment. I think we aim too high, so I'm going to aim a little lower. I predict that by 2020, GM will come out with a car people actually want.

...or is that still aiming too high?

by **F1-Insanity** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 3:09 pm

Lunatic Goofballs wrote:I'm tired of disappointment. I think we aim too high, so I'm going to aim a little lower. I predict that by 2020, GM will come out with a car people actually want.

...or is that still aiming too high?

Let me put it like this, there is no need to get in a plane and launch a nuclear missile into space if you intended to hit a target situated only a yard from the ground.

GM + produces car people want by 2020 = :rofl:

by **Tunizcha** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 3:30 pm

We underestimate the stupidity of the populace, and we overestimate the power of technology.
Unless the scientists get more funding, they can't conduct major experiments.

by **JuNii** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 6:19 pm

The Kropotkinite Union wrote:Given that it is now the 31st of December, 2009, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss popular predictions of the future that were supposed to have come true, but didn't. For example, anyone remember the "paperless office?" How about the Y2K Bug, or worldwide socialism? Discuss.

didn't you know? your apartment on the Moon blew up back in 1999.

by **JuNii** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 6:20 pm

Lunatic Goofballs wrote:I'm tired of disappointment. I think we aim too high, so I'm going to aim a little lower. I predict that by 2020, GM will come out with a car people actually want.

...or is that still aiming too high?

nope... Toyota will buy GM out. :lol2:

by **Greed and Death** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 6:21 pm

New Ziedrich wrote:Moon apartment has been delayed unti 2040 due to ignorance and apathy. Also, where's my fusion and orbital solar power?

LBJ cut the funding for those things.
He said we could have technology, or social programs.
He choose the social programs.

"Skallvia" · by **Maurepas** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 6:22 pm

New Ziedrich wrote:Moon apartment has been delayed unti 2040 due to ignorance and apathy. Also, where's my fusion and orbital solar power?

More faith than I have in it,

It's 2010 - where's my jetpack and my apartment on the moon?

It's 2010 - where's my jetpack and my apartment on the moon?

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