New Years Predictions About The Internet - In 1994

In the future, we'll all be driving flying cars!

http://www.neonshop.com/bio/iw/bwv6n1.htm
from WinCustomize Forums

Turn the clock back 12 years.  Look around you and you may find yourself sitting at a 386 PC, chances are you'd be running Windows 3.1 and if you were really lucky you'd have a 14.4 modem with a connection to The Internet.  The web was still in its infancy (having only sprung into existence 2 short years ago) and the 'Net was still small and relatively unexplored.

Back in this early time, there was the Internet World Magazine.  At the end of 1994, they published a list of best/worst events and sites of The Internet of 1994, along with predictions of what was to come in 1995 from many of their regularly contributing writers.  Hear about the wonders of Gopher, and how no one really wants video-on-demand on their computer.  It's an amusing glimpse into the past and how we thought things were going to pan out in "the future."

4,300 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wow, i think its safe to say that some of them predictions could now be re-classified under the heading of "Monstrous Understatements of the Decade"...

Isnt it amazing how some people had a fairly accurate vision of the future of the Internet, while at the same time understated it so much that its almost ridiculous...

I especially like the one "Porn on the Internet. Who gets to decide this one?". The naivety of it all

Although this one comes in a close second: "There will be a concerted effort by the U.S. Congress to regulate content on the Internet."...

Imagine the salary one could earn if you could have landed that job, sitting in your little office with the "Internet Regulator" sign on the door and your 386 on the desk!
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It was a glorious day in late Jan 1995 when they hooked up the bootp server to our dorm and didn't require me to wander down to the computer lab...
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I love this part - "...what people really want, such as the ability to search reference works, participate in distance learning, search the holdings at the local library, and practice electronic democracy."

Yeah unfortunately what people actually want is to watch videos of fake lonely girls talking about fake drama, guys mixing M&Ms with Coke and of course the most popular thing to watch is other people doing stupid things. What can I say, Democracy rules.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Funny, I actually had an ISDN connection for two years...before cable internet was available in my area.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
and of course the most popular thing to watch is other people doing stupid things


Its kinda sad that this is one of the most popular things that a lot of people seek out on the Internet. At least it wasnt predicted 10 years ago though. If it was then i suppose you could say that they had an idea that a lot of the Internet users of today would have not much else better to do. I would like to think that the fact that they didnt predict it is a sign that they were giving us credit for spending our time wisely...or am i just trying to make myself feel better?!

Ro
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
and of course the most popular thing to watch is other people doing stupid things


Its kinda sad that this is one of the most popular things that a lot of people seek out on the Internet. At least it wasnt predicted 10 years ago though. I would like to think that the fact that they didnt predict it is a sign that they were giving us credit for spending our time wisely...or am i just trying to make myself feel better?!

Ro
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
and of course the most popular thing to watch is other people doing stupid things


Its kinda sad that this is one of the most popular things that a lot of people seek out on the Internet. At least it wasnt predicted 10 years ago though. I would like to think that the fact that they didnt predict it is a sign that they were giving us credit for spending our time wisely...or am i just trying to make myself feel better?!

Ro
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
and of course the most popular thing to watch is other people doing stupid things


Its kinda sad that this is one of the most popular things that a lot of people seek out on the Internet. At least it wasnt predicted 10 years ago though. I would like to think that the fact that they didnt predict it is a sign that they were giving us credit for spending our time wisely...or am i just trying to make myself feel better?!

Ro
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Quad posts! Stupid server.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top


Sorry about that, i dunno what happened there...

Ro