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Tech Predictions for 2004

Posted by michael on from the never-speak-of-2003-again dept.

Quirk writes "The Independent has the predictions of Charles Arthur for 2004. 'The ubiquity of the iPod, the return of the Mac, and the simplicity of the portable memory stick are just some of the developments that could change our lives in 2004.'"

8 of 281 comments (clear)

  1. My own list by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    # Moore's Law will be deemed "obsolete". Despite this, faster computers will still be produced. We will also see x86-64 chips proliferate the market.

    # Linux becomes ready for the desktop (they've predicted this every year).

    # Doom 3 still won't be released.

    # The total destruction of Microsoft's monopoly due to the utter, complete failure of their upcoming retarded product lines. Bill Gates' Ring Of Power tossed into the fires of Mt. Redmond and becomes molten slag. The towers of Microsoft crumble and all rejoice. (Note to Microsoft apologists : If you find this offensive, you need a sense of humour. If you're still unhappy with this, well, you suck.)

    # BSD finally dies. (Note to BSD snobs : See above about Microsoft apologists)

    # KDE and GNOME merge into one project. Supporters from both camps become outraged and civil war breaks out.

    # Linux 2.7 will be forked, ported to run on vending machines and kitchen appliances. 2.6 becomes truly stable, and nobody will care.

    # The RIAA will hand out more lawsuits, some of them for toddlers and livestock.

    # Darl McBride follows the RIAA's footsteps, and starts suing toddlers and livestock too for unauthorized use of SCO intellectual property.

    # Martians recover Beagle 2, reprogram it and send it back to to conquer Earth.

    1. Re:My own list by questamor · · Score: 5, Funny

      The Amiga is coming back too. don't forget the Amiga.

    2. Re:My own list by AndroidCat · · Score: 5, Funny
      The only Ring of Power that I see are the rights of any claim of ownership of UNIX. Whoever controls those without destroying them will be subject to the corrupting influence of trying to make claims of ownership of anything close to UNIX like the elven rings of Linux.

      Just look at what happened to Gollum McBride. Sad.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  2. Anyone find it strange? by cubicledrone · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Practically the entirety of business now relies on computers for just about everything, yet few, if any, can find careers working with computers?

    --
    Business isn't willing to pay for products, innovation and careers, so we get brands, mortgage commercials and layoffs.
    1. Re:Anyone find it strange? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Practically the entirety of business now relies on Post-Its for just about everything, yet few, if any, can find careers working with Post-Its?

    2. Re:Anyone find it strange? by pigpilot · · Score: 5, Informative

      If by "careers working with computers" you mean doing more than just using them, i.e. writing software etc then I'm not surprised. Every major business that I can think of relies more on telephones and plumbing but relatively few people need to make a career out of them.

      For most of us computers are just a tool that help us get on with our job, and like most tools they are rarely a career in themselves.

  3. Return of the Mac? by FrostedWheat · · Score: 5, Funny

    Return of the Mac? Mark Morrison is singing again?!

    Noooooo!!!!

  4. who else when reading thought: yeah. sure. by xlurker · · Score: 5, Insightful
    • (And if you want to check my predictions for 2003 - which I'd say stand up well - they're online at http://news. independent.co.uk/digital/features/story.jsp?story =366810).

      yeah. sure.
      did anybody actually click on this? You have to pay to read the 2003 article...

    • Some of the music download stores ... will "consolidate" - that is, close or merge, because ...

      very kind of him to explain "consolidate"
      oh, btw what does "galvanise" mean?

    • The majority of the download stores will keep using Microsoft's Windows Media Audio format, but Apple won't support that on the iPod.

      is this really noteworthy? all download stores use mp3.

    • At least one other download store will join Apple in using the Dolby "AAC" encoding format, because that's the only way to reach iPod owners.

      yeah. sure.

    • USB "flash memory" sticks ... and applications will be released that can be stored on them to run on any computer without altering its settings.

      aka "files"
      on the computer there will be a general software framework that can "read" these "files" and enable you to "work" with the "contents" independent of the OS and hardware: document files, excel files, image files, html files, audio files.

    • You could soon carry a stripped-down operating system in your pocket to boot any machine to look like yours.

      can anyone imagine normal users doing that?

    • There won't be a single virus or worm that attacks the Mac OSX operating system.

      I don't use the Mac, but I can't imagine that to be true: document and email macro viruses?
    --
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    sigamajig...