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Vint Cerf Optimistic About Internet's Future, Continued Innovation

Anti-Globalism takes us to The Observer for an article by Vint Cerf on how far the internet has come, and how much can still be accomplished through its development. Cerf says, "We're nearing the tipping point for mobile computing to deliver timely, geographically and socially relevant information. Researchers in Japan recently proposed using data from vehicles' windscreen wipers and embedded GPS receivers to track the movement of weather systems through towns and cities with a precision never before possible. It may seem academic, but understanding the way severe weather, such as a typhoon, moves through a city could save lives. Further exploration can shed light on demographic, intellectual and epidemiological phenomena, to name just a few areas."

8 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. One side effect. by russotto · · Score: 4, Funny

    As long as there's fairly few data sources, you could get the butterfly effect writ small -- a butterfly smashing into my windshield causes me to activate my wipers, resulting in a prediction of a thunderstorm in Philadelphia.

    1. Re:One side effect. by st33med · · Score: 2, Funny

      *Activates windscreen wipers to make the scientists angry and mispredict the weather*

  2. TFA is BS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    as if there really is someone named "Vint Cerf"

  3. Re:They'd better mandate it by law... by Z00L00K · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just remove the battery and you will be fine. Add a tin foil hat to be sure.

    --
    If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
  4. Re:Always bet against techno utopians by thrillseeker · · Score: 4, Funny

    People change technology. Technology does not change people.

    Uh huh. I always use my gmail system to create a letter, print it to a PDF, print that on my laser printer, take it over to the roll top desk, light some candles, get the quill pen and ink bottle out, and calligraph my "me too" letter, which I then place in a parchment envelope, seal with some wax, get the horse out fo the barn and saddle him, kiss the family goodbye, load up for bear, and trek 15 miles through the woods to the nearest post office, stopping by the general store for a brew each way. Some guy, who doesn't look at all like Kevin Costner, adds it at the post office to his pile, hitches his spare horses in trail, and rides to the other coast, at great risk. There he hands the parchement off to the next outbound freighter, which eventually, through a myriad of events worthy of a Neal Stephenson length novel, eventually delivers said prose to a Mr. Michael Phelps in Beijing China ... Dear Michael ... great job on the gold medals ... watched it all in high def on the flatscreen ... thanks for waiting around in China for a month to read my letter (those steam ships sure make life move fast these days, eh) ... can't let technology change us you know ... please make an effort to not just click send on your emails either, but do it the way we've always done it ... thanks ...

  5. Re:Rain sensing has been done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... because it's not sarcasm if it isn't tagged as such.

  6. Re:Rain sensing has been done by The_Wilschon · · Score: 2, Funny

    You forgot the sarcasm tags. Again.

    --
    SIGSEGV caught, terminating

    wait... not that kind of sig.
  7. little willy from philly by game+kid · · Score: 2, Funny

    a butterfly smashing into my windshield causes me to activate my wipers, resulting in a prediction of a thunderstorm in Philadelphia.

    My car did ONE little wipe and my mom got scared and said, "you're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air."

    --
    You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.