Comments on: Walter Cronkite on the office of 2001, from 1967 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 26 May 2013 09:09:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: gamophyte http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1650600 gamophyte Sat, 09 Feb 2013 02:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1650600 I liken the phone as my desktop mic for skype.  I liken the phone as my desktop mic for skype. 

]]> By: ohbejoyful http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1650545 ohbejoyful Sat, 09 Feb 2013 01:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1650545 I'm with you - let me know if you come up with a good way to add weight to the thinkgeek handset! I’m with you – let me know if you come up with a good way to add weight to the thinkgeek handset!

]]> By: ganman http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1650225 ganman Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1650225 Now, instead of getting their news from Walter Cronkite, people can simply access World Net Daily!  Such an improvement. Now, instead of getting their news from Walter Cronkite, people can simply access World Net Daily!  Such an improvement.

]]> By: Conor Terry http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649539 Conor Terry Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649539 All that stuff is on my iphone. Except the printer All that stuff is on my iphone. Except the printer

]]> By: Preston Sturges http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649503 Preston Sturges Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649503 Oh you're right.  It also pops in some music videos and such including "Dare To Be Stupid"  Oh you’re right.  It also pops in some music videos and such including “Dare To Be Stupid” 

]]> By: jowlsey http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649396 jowlsey Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649396 Knobs! Needs more knobs!  Knobs! Needs more knobs! 

]]> By: David http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649309 David Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649309 It reminded me of an old 1950s cartoon drawing of life in the future. It had dad sitting in his recliner after just printing out his newspaper from a wall sized unit of some type. The problem of 'future' thinking is that we're trapped by our own experiences. Oh, there will be newspapers -- but they arrive when we want them to!! I doubt that if you were to travel back in time you'd get anyone to grasp the idea of the Internet. You'd be lucky to be able to clue them in on the old dial-up bulletin board systems of the 1980s. Sadly, the same will happen with us in some 40 years. Our grandchildren will be wringing their hands that we don't understand the basic features of our retinal control devices. "Seriously, just teach them how to turn it on & off and to adjust volume. They' can't handle anything more than that," they will say. It reminded me of an old 1950s cartoon drawing of life in the future. It had dad sitting in his recliner after just printing out his newspaper from a wall sized unit of some type. The problem of ‘future’ thinking is that we’re trapped by our own experiences. Oh, there will be newspapers — but they arrive when we want them to!! I doubt that if you were to travel back in time you’d get anyone to grasp the idea of the Internet. You’d be lucky to be able to clue them in on the old dial-up bulletin board systems of the 1980s.

Sadly, the same will happen with us in some 40 years. Our grandchildren will be wringing their hands that we don’t understand the basic features of our retinal control devices. “Seriously, just teach them how to turn it on & off and to adjust volume. They’ can’t handle anything more than that,” they will say.

]]> By: David http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649298 David Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649298 NASA was cool in the 1970s, having people go to all of the elementary schools. At least they came to mine for about four years in a row. They brought models of the Twin Rotor Plane, the V-22 Osprey, back then and other cool stuff. Even models of the proposed Space Shuttle. Amazing stuff. NASA was cool in the 1970s, having people go to all of the elementary schools. At least they came to mine for about four years in a row. They brought models of the Twin Rotor Plane, the V-22 Osprey, back then and other cool stuff. Even models of the proposed Space Shuttle. Amazing stuff.

]]> By: David http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649289 David Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649289 Depends on the company the the executive culture. The 'no' contact with work when you're 'off the clock' mentality is rare. Depends on the company the the executive culture. The ‘no’ contact with work when you’re ‘off the clock’ mentality is rare.

]]> By: princeminski http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649233 princeminski Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649233 The Interociter is from THIS ISLAND EARTH. The Interociter is from THIS ISLAND EARTH.

]]> By: good vibes http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649111 good vibes Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649111 I haven't seen it enshrined in policy, but when I worked in the corporate world I certainly knew people who were directly told to leave their crackberry and laptop in the office by their boss. One of them was pretty much summarily sent to Italy for a fortnight and forbidden from making any contact with work :D I haven’t seen it enshrined in policy, but when I worked in the corporate world I certainly knew people who were directly told to leave their crackberry and laptop in the office by their boss. One of them was pretty much summarily sent to Italy for a fortnight and forbidden from making any contact with work :D

]]> By: Preston Sturges http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649103 Preston Sturges Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649103 If you watch "2001, A Space Odyssey"  there is a long scene in the space shuttle cockpit with has CRT screens and some wire frame graphics. It's boring now, but at the time your mind would have been totally blown to see a cockpit that was not full of twitching analog gauges.  In Cronkites version, it's clear that the newsfeed is envisioned as something like an analog teletype printout. They could not imagine that online content would look a lot like a print magazine. And of course the basic concepts of navigation and hyperlinking did not exist. If you watch “2001, A Space Odyssey”  there is a long scene in the space shuttle cockpit with has CRT screens and some wire frame graphics. It’s boring now, but at the time your mind would have been totally blown to see a cockpit that was not full of twitching analog gauges. 

In Cronkites version, it’s clear that the newsfeed is envisioned as something like an analog teletype printout. They could not imagine that online content would look a lot like a print magazine. And of course the basic concepts of navigation and hyperlinking did not exist.

]]> By: Scratcheee http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649085 Scratcheee Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649085 Movies of what? Movies of what?

]]> By: Scratcheee http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649082 Scratcheee Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649082 I remember getting a chemistry set that warned me to protect my hands from the heat.  With an asbestos glove. I remember getting a chemistry set that warned me to protect my hands from the heat.  With an asbestos glove.

]]> By: nixiebunny http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649061 nixiebunny Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649061 This was a Philco-Ford prop set, so of course it looked like consumer electronics. They were a large manufacturer of TV sets and radios at that time. Admit it, you'd love a computer monitor with chrome trim around the edges and a little chrome script nameplate, wouldn't you? This was a Philco-Ford prop set, so of course it looked like consumer electronics. They were a large manufacturer of TV sets and radios at that time.

Admit it, you’d love a computer monitor with chrome trim around the edges and a little chrome script nameplate, wouldn’t you?

]]> By: jackbird http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649059 jackbird Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649059 The presence of five different machines, each with its own display, to perform functions we would put in three browser tabs and two applications, highlights the key insight they missed about what it means when you can represent and manipulate any kind of data as bits.  The fact that the only machine <i>without</i> a display is the typewriter highlights this even more.   I imagine the documents produced by mr. home executive were supposed to travel to the office via messenger, or (to go really high tech) be dictated to the steno pool via videophone.   The presence of five different machines, each with its own display, to perform functions we would put in three browser tabs and two applications, highlights the key insight they missed about what it means when you can represent and manipulate any kind of data as bits.  The fact that the only machine without a display is the typewriter highlights this even more.  

I imagine the documents produced by mr. home executive were supposed to travel to the office via messenger, or (to go really high tech) be dictated to the steno pool via videophone.  

]]> By: nixiebunny http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649057 nixiebunny Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649057 What they really couldn't imagine was that we'd have one Star Trek Communicator, only it would be 1/4 the thickness of Spock's Communicator, that would do it all... ...and that we'd use it primarily to watch movies of cute kittens. What they really couldn’t imagine was that we’d have one Star Trek Communicator, only it would be 1/4 the thickness of Spock’s Communicator, that would do it all…

…and that we’d use it primarily to watch movies of cute kittens.

]]> By: jackbird http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649053 jackbird Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649053 No, those images were from slide projectors.  I liked the Mr. Rogers-style operation of the "printer," too, when the guy in the box doesn't feed the paper in a straight line. No, those images were from slide projectors.  I liked the Mr. Rogers-style operation of the “printer,” too, when the guy in the box doesn’t feed the paper in a straight line.

]]> By: L_Mariachi http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649049 L_Mariachi Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649049 There's a basic incompatibility between the imperatives to ergonomically cradle your face and to slip into a pocket without ruining the line of your suit. Thus the Bluetooth earbud, which don't now look as incredibly stupid as when they first came out but still make you look like a crazy person talking to yourself. (Thinkgeek, btw, sells an old-timey handset with Bluetooth connectivity, but it doesn't have the requisite heft. I haven't tried gluing some lead weights into it but that's because it only just now occurred to me.) There’s a basic incompatibility between the imperatives to ergonomically cradle your face and to slip into a pocket without ruining the line of your suit. Thus the Bluetooth earbud, which don’t now look as incredibly stupid as when they first came out but still make you look like a crazy person talking to yourself.

(Thinkgeek, btw, sells an old-timey handset with Bluetooth connectivity, but it doesn’t have the requisite heft. I haven’t tried gluing some lead weights into it but that’s because it only just now occurred to me.)

]]> By: Forkboy http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649018 Forkboy Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649018 I always use a headset with my iPhone but I see more and more people using the speakerphone and talking into their phone like some sort of Star Trek communicator or using Facetime or other video calling where you don't have to hold something up to your ear. I think holding a device to your ear is on the way out. I always use a headset with my iPhone but I see more and more people using the speakerphone and talking into their phone like some sort of Star Trek communicator or using Facetime or other video calling where you don’t have to hold something up to your ear. I think holding a device to your ear is on the way out.

]]> By: Forkboy http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1649007 Forkboy Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1649007 You could replace that whole setup with an iPad (and a printer if you want some of those quaint hard copies.) You could replace that whole setup with an iPad (and a printer if you want some of those quaint hard copies.)

]]> By: The Life Of Bryan http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648944 The Life Of Bryan Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648944  No, you need to *turn* the button.  No, you need to *turn* the button.

]]> By: dnebdal http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648941 dnebdal Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648941 I am mildly tempted to set up all the stuff I check in the morning to greet me with "Good morning, Mr. Nebdal". I am mildly tempted to set up all the stuff I check in the morning to greet me with “Good morning, Mr. Nebdal”.

]]> By: dnebdal http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648940 dnebdal Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648940 See also ... more or less the entirety of Better off Ted. ("Veridian Dynamics. Developing the next generation of food and food-like products.") See also … more or less the entirety of Better off Ted.
(“Veridian Dynamics. Developing the next generation of food and food-like products.”)

]]> By: timquinn http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648939 timquinn Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648939 I have three monitors, though not all on all the time, screen acreage equals productivity. They are not using them efficiently though. I have three monitors, though not all on all the time, screen acreage equals productivity. They are not using them efficiently though.

]]> By: Markus Schäfer http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648934 Markus Schäfer Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648934 Funny how the modern home has three large monitors side by side instead of one monitor with three settings... Funny how the modern home has three large monitors side by side instead of one monitor with three settings…

]]> By: SoItBegins http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648910 SoItBegins Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648910  The next steampunk will be analoguepunk.  The next steampunk will be analoguepunk.

]]> By: Brad Bell http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648904 Brad Bell Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648904 It's funny how much it resembles iOS :-) Instead of having an app for each task, we have a computer for each task. Which surprisingly misunderstands the whole point about the computer: it is a machine that can simulate any other machine. A single device can be a darkroom and a film editor and a gene splicer - even at the same time.  "I use this iPhone for Instagram. And this one for taking phone calls. This third iPhone I use for the weather.... And the 48th iPhone is used for playing an electronic game called "Angry Birds" for entertaining guests." It’s funny how much it resembles iOS :-) Instead of having an app for each task, we have a computer for each task. Which surprisingly misunderstands the whole point about the computer: it is a machine that can simulate any other machine. A single device can be a darkroom and a film editor and a gene splicer – even at the same time. 

“I use this iPhone for Instagram. And this one for taking phone calls. This third iPhone I use for the weather…. And the 48th iPhone is used for playing an electronic game called “Angry Birds” for entertaining guests.”

]]> By: Brad Bell http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648903 Brad Bell Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648903 I have a similar experience with an iPhone. It's not a phone, it's a mobile computer. It's a cold hard slab of flat metal and glass. It's the monolith in 2001. It doesn't fit your ear or mouth or hand. In contrast, old phones are warm and sensuous. They model their form on human bodies. The handle is vaguely feminine. It fits in your hand. It is warm to the touch. It rests in a 'cradle.' You could use it in the bath. I have a similar experience with an iPhone. It’s not a phone, it’s a mobile computer. It’s a cold hard slab of flat metal and glass. It’s the monolith in 2001. It doesn’t fit your ear or mouth or hand. In contrast, old phones are warm and sensuous. They model their form on human bodies. The handle is vaguely feminine. It fits in your hand. It is warm to the touch. It rests in a ‘cradle.’ You could use it in the bath.

]]> By: mongo http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/walter-cronkite-on-the-office.html#comment-1648882 mongo Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211280#comment-1648882 Those mockups were just TV tuners. The images were from closed circuit cameras.  I have a copy of the 21st Century home of the future show where it's pretty much the same except for including a big (square) screen TV...this screen shows your stocks, this screen has news, this screens has....They couldn't imagine we'd have one computer screen that could do it all. Those mockups were just TV tuners. The images were from closed circuit cameras. 

I have a copy of the 21st Century home of the future show where it’s pretty much the same except for including a big (square) screen TV…this screen shows your stocks, this screen has news, this screens has….They couldn’t imagine we’d have one computer screen that could do it all.

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