10 November 2005
Magic Anyone?
Sometimes I feel that I am losing my sense of direction in that proliferating thicket of technologies, programs, workflows, releases, processes, updates, tools, routines, patches, exceptions, fixes, and if none of these work – workarounds.
Usually I come down with something, then: a mild bout of toolitis, or a little fixema – nothing serious, really.
Time for recovery is also time for reflection and recollection:
There really was that charming turn-of-the-century: a challenge to the world community to bridge language barriers by developing technologies with real-time digital translation so anyone on the planet can talk to anyone else (albeit by a presidential candidate).
And Arthur C. Clarke (of “2001: A Space Odyssey” fame) really did set the ultimate benchmark almost half a century ago:
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
I haven’t quite regained my sense of direction, but at least some of my immoderate sense of proportion.
Anybody else with a thirst for magic?
posted by Lothar Peplinski