We’re Always Living in Somebody’s Future
It’s funny.
I was talking today with a photographer friend of ours who’d stopped by to see our office, and we got to talking about 3D printers and virtual worlds. Yeah, I know. I don’t know how the conversation gets there, but it always does.
And I was struck by a funny thought, and said: "You know, you can buy a 3D scanner, a 3D printer, and high-end 3D modeling software, and a high-end computer, for about the same price you could buy a black-and-white desktop publishing system in 1987."
And our photographer sat back, looked really thoughtful, and said, "Wow."
Wow indeed.
I remember 1987. I remember the weird kid in one of my creative writing classes, who said, "Yeah, spend $10,000 and you can typeset your own stuff! Do your own magazines! Even output, like halftones and camera-ready art!"
And I remember thinking, "Wow, we are really living in the future! Look at all this technology! We do our own typesetting. We can Upset the Established Order!" I didn’t think about doing color photography or anything like that on a computer, much less internet development or virtual worlds.
And so, sitting with our photographer friend, I said, "Apply that same curve to our 3D scanner/printer/modeling scenario. What are we going to be doing 20 years from now? Taking a file called ‘Steak, Angus’ and whipping it out on our super-duper 3D replicator from a jug of assorted organic molecules from the local Costco? Growing laser-based 3D immersive eyeset displays from free designs floating around in virtual space, thanks to a helpful African student?"
And he just sat there with a blank look and said, "But, isn’t the resolution of 3D printing not that great? I thought it could only do a few simple things?"
"Just like those giant LaserWriters and Mac Pluses of 1987, you mean," I said, gesturing at HiPiHi on my laptop screen.
And our photographer friend got real quiet.
Because even if we’re already living in the future, there are way more suprises to come.
November 8th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
it will still take another 20 yrs? i want my replicator faster that that!.. my own molecular meal right next to me in seconds, not from some genetically-modified food from walmart.. =)
November 9th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
And yeah, you’re right, it shouldn’t take 20 years. If we’re looking at an exponentially accelerating rate of change, we may be looking at scenarios like that in 10 years. Put on your seatbelts, it’s gonna be an interesting ride!