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Has Sci-Fi Run Out of Steam?

Barence writes "Science fiction has long inspired real-world technology, but are the authors of sci-fi stories finally running out of steam? PC Pro has traced the history of sci-fi's influence on real-world technology, from Jules Verne to Snow Crash, but suggests that writers have run out of ideas when it comes to inspiring tomorrow's products. 'Since Snow Crash, no novel has had quite the same impact on the computing world, and you might argue that sci-fi and hi-tech are drifting further apart,' PC Pro claims. Author Charles Stross tells the magazine that he began writing a sci-fi novel in 2005 and 'made some predictions, thinking that in ten years they'd either be laughable or they'd have come true. The weird bit? Most of them came true already, by 2009.'"

6 of 479 comments (clear)

  1. Out of steam? by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah, that's why everybody's switching to steampunk. Plenty of steam.

  2. Re:Sci-fi not predicting far enough? by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 5, Funny

    . I can come up with my own deus ex machinas, thank you.

    The correct plural form of deus ex machina is deii ex machina, not deus ex machinas. OMG, they dont seem to teach anything in Latin classes these days. Now etgay utoy foay ymay awnlay.

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    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  3. Re:Sci-fi not predicting far enough? by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm monotheistic but believe in multiple machines, you insensitive clod!

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    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  4. Re:Sci-fi not predicting far enough? by somersault · · Score: 5, Funny

    How can Sylar pick-up a person and throw him against a wall? Newton's Law dictates that Sylar should be pushed backward with an equal force (recoil)

    I take it you've never been bowling, for fear of being hurled back out through the front doors when you throw the ball down the alley?

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    which is totally what she said
  5. Re:Sci-fi not predicting far enough? by damburger · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Romanes eunt domus"? "People called Romanes they go the house"?

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    If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we shoot people for Apollo-related non-sequiturs?
  6. Re:Childhood's End by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or maybe we'll have lots of nudity and sex and strange teleknesis like Heinlein suggested.

    I pray every day.

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    You are welcome on my lawn.