The demise of the gadget - Page 4

barryem · 12-12-2016, 02:57 PM

I began working as a mainframe programmer in the late 1960s, long before computers had those new fangled things called screens. We used to sit around at lunch a lot discussing where computers were going and what the future might bring. We let our imaginations soar. We got a little crazy with some of our ideas. But we never imagined this! We just thought we were soaring.

When I was in my teens a common thing for my friends (mostly geeks although that word hadn't been coined yet) would try to come up with the best thing to take with us if we go back in a time machine; something useful and powerful. Flashlights were often mentioned. Today I'd probably suggest a Game Boy.

Barry

Sweetpea · 12-13-2016, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barryem

I began working as a mainframe programmer in the late 1960s, long before computers had those new fangled things called screens. We used to sit around at lunch a lot discussing where computers were going and what the future might bring. We let our imaginations soar. We got a little crazy with some of our ideas. But we never imagined this! We just thought we were soaring.

Ohh, I'd love to know what you came up with! And especially when it was invented...

It's one reason I really like Star Trek TOS. All those gadgets and technology that has been overtaken already... I mean: flip phones??

crich70 · 12-13-2016, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Ohh, I'd love to know what you came up with! And especially when it was invented...

It's one reason I really like Star Trek TOS. All those gadgets and technology that has been overtaken already... I mean: flip phones??

Not to mention 3.5" floppy disks. At the time it was sci. fi. and now it's already retro.

fjtorres · 12-13-2016, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Ohh, I'd love to know what you came up with! And especially when it was invented...

It's one reason I really like Star Trek TOS. All those gadgets and technology that has been overtaken already... I mean: flip phones??

In their defense, the eugenics wars really set them back a lot.
Some of the prewar tech was never reinvented.

crich70 · 12-13-2016, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

In their defense, the eugenics wars really set them back a lot.
Some of the prewar tech was never reinvented.

And only 47 yrs now til Zefrem Chochrane is supposed to warp space.

ApK · 12-13-2016, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I mean: flip phones??

Oh for goodness sake. Do you people have no clue what a communicator is? Do you people REALLY think that the big innovative idea about a star trek communicator was that it was a box with a hinge?

It could talk to a ship in orbit with no infrastructure.

It could talk without speed-of-light delay (it was a subspace radio.)

It could be heard and let you hear over loud background noise and make voices distinguishable in a crowd (phased acoustic arrays?)

It could run for days or weeks on a charge. (or months, depending on the needs of the script)

Flip phone my aunt fanny.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

And only 47 yrs now til Zefrem Chochrane is supposed to warp space.

...quickly followed by contact with friendly aliens.

ZodWallop · 12-13-2016, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

Do you people REALLY think that the big innovative idea about a star trek communicator was that it was a box with a hinge?

It could talk to a ship in orbit with no infrastructure.

It could talk without speed-of-light delay (it was a subspace radio.)

It could be heard and let you hear over loud background noise and make voices distinguishable in a crowd (phased acoustic arrays?)

So it was almost as nice as an iPhone 7 (according to Apple's propaganda)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

It could run for days or weeks on a charge.

Okay, maybe not

kennyc · 12-13-2016, 09:50 AM

Go, go, gadget go!

Sweetpea · 12-13-2016, 09:53 AM

It could talk to a ship in orbit with no infrastructure.
No infrastructure? What about that huge ship they had, with receiver and sending arrays? We can also talk to people on the other side of the planet using satelite

It could talk without speed-of-light delay (it was a subspace radio.)

Hmm, no. They couldn't use their communicator beyond a certain range (mostly ship/planet)

It could be heard and let you hear over loud background noise and make voices distinguishable in a crowd (phased acoustic arrays?)
You've never made a phonecall in a busy environment?

It could run for days or weeks on a charge. (or months, depending on the needs of the script)
I can use my phone for weeks on a charge. As long as I don't turn on that huge screen (which that communicator device didn't have). The communicators of the later series were more amazing, in that respect. They must have one of those flat batteries! (no idea what they're called in English).

ApK · 12-13-2016, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

It could talk to a ship in orbit with no infrastructure.
No infrastructure? What about that huge ship they had, with receiver and sending arrays? We can also talk to people on the other side of the planet using satelite

The communicators also work directly, all over a city-sized area at least, (and through most obstructions, except for plot-required blockages) without the ship there. Try that with a sat phone.

Quote:

It could talk without speed-of-light delay (it was a subspace radio.)

Hmm, no. They couldn't use their communicator beyond a certain range (mostly ship/planet)

Hmm. Yes, and your response has nothing to do with my comment.
Being subspace (established in various sources) doesn't mean the range is unlimited, but it does mean they can talk back and forth to the ship in high orbit, full duplex, with no delay, and it can work underground, in buildings, etc. Try that on a sat phone.

Quote:

It could be heard and let you hear over loud background noise and make voices distinguishable in a crowd (phased acoustic arrays?)
You've never made a phonecall in a busy environment?

Yeah, it sucks in real life.

Quote:

It could run for days or weeks on a charge. (or months, depending on the needs of the script)
I can use my phone for weeks on a charge. As long as I don't turn on that huge screen (which that communicator device didn't have). The communicators of the later series were more amazing, in that respect. They must have one of those flat batteries! (no idea what they're called in English).

Well, yeah, batteries are getting better. But we haven't caught up to the fiction yet.

fjtorres · 12-13-2016, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

And only 47 yrs now til Zefrem Chochrane is supposed to warp space.

He better hurry up or Eagleworks will beat him to the punch.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whit...interferometer

ApK · 12-13-2016, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

He better hurry up or Eagleworks will beat him to the punch.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whit...interferometer

Fascinating. History will either remember this as the pre-dawn of warp drive, or as one of those crazy ignorant fringe theories that no will will understand how were ever taken seriously.

Boy...to buy stock or not buy stock....that is the question.

ApK

fjtorres · 12-13-2016, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

Fascinating. History will either remember this as the pre-dawn of warp drive, or as one of those crazy ignorant fringe theories that no will will understand how were ever taken seriously.

Boy...to buy stock or not buy stock....that is the question.

ApK

It's the 21st century out there.
The stuff is just showing up on schedule.

We have a workable plasma drive in testing, a possible reactionless (impulse) drive effect to explore, and hints at a path to a warp drive. Figure them at 10, 30, and 50 years off from deployment.

We'll be Star Treking in three generations.
(Or back in the caves in two).

kennyc · 12-13-2016, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It's the 21st century out there.
The stuff is just showing up on schedule.

We have a workable plasma drive in testing, a possible reactionless (impulse) drive effect to explore, and hints at a path to a warp drive. Figure them at 10, 30, and 50 years off from deployment.

We'll be Star Treking in three generations.
(Or back in the caves in two).

and significant developments in Fusion power. http://www.sciencealert.com/tests-co...e-really-works

Cinisajoy · 12-13-2016, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjtorres

It's the 21st century out there.
The stuff is just showing up on schedule.

We have a workable plasma drive in testing, a possible reactionless (impulse) drive effect to explore, and hints at a path to a warp drive. Figure them at 10, 30, and 50 years off from deployment.

We'll be Star Treking in three generations.
(Or back in the caves in two).

Just for general useless trivia in 1962, two of the biggest cartoons were The Jetsons and The Flintstones. Space Age and Stone Age.

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12-12-2016, 02:57 PM	#46
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	I began working as a mainframe programmer in the late 1960s, long before computers had those new fangled things called screens. We used to sit around at lunch a lot discussing where computers were going and what the future might bring. We let our imaginations soar. We got a little crazy with some of our ideas. But we never imagined this! We just thought we were soaring. When I was in my teens a common thing for my friends (mostly geeks although that word hadn't been coined yet) would try to come up with the best thing to take with us if we go back in a time machine; something useful and powerful. Flashlights were often mentioned. Today I'd probably suggest a Game Boy. Barry

12-13-2016, 09:50 AM	#53
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Go, go, gadget go!

12-13-2016, 09:53 AM	#54
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	It could talk to a ship in orbit with no infrastructure. No infrastructure? What about that huge ship they had, with receiver and sending arrays? We can also talk to people on the other side of the planet using satelite It could talk without speed-of-light delay (it was a subspace radio.) Hmm, no. They couldn't use their communicator beyond a certain range (mostly ship/planet) It could be heard and let you hear over loud background noise and make voices distinguishable in a crowd (phased acoustic arrays?) You've never made a phonecall in a busy environment? It could run for days or weeks on a charge. (or months, depending on the needs of the script) I can use my phone for weeks on a charge. As long as I don't turn on that huge screen (which that communicator device didn't have). The communicators of the later series were more amazing, in that respect. They must have one of those flat batteries! (no idea what they're called in English).

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