Comments on: Communication networks: past, present and future http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/ past - present - future Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:30:17 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: bob http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-5362 bob Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:30:17 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-5362 rockin!!!! rockin!!!!

]]> By: kuipercliff http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-645 kuipercliff Thu, 03 May 2007 03:27:26 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-645 Corrections: 1. Yesterday, I heard a recording of Ray Kurzweil maintaining that he'd always had the date of 2029 in mind for a technological singularity (rather than the 2040-2050 date range I quoted). 2. Ken MacLeod coined the phrase "Rapture of the Nerds", although I've heard both Sterling and Vinge quote it. Corrections:

1. Yesterday, I heard a recording of Ray Kurzweil maintaining that he’d always had the date of 2029 in mind for a technological singularity (rather than the 2040-2050 date range I quoted).

2. Ken MacLeod coined the phrase “Rapture of the Nerds”, although I’ve heard both Sterling and Vinge quote it.

]]> By: kuipercliff http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-640 kuipercliff Tue, 01 May 2007 19:15:09 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-640 2040+? It's a weird one, isn't it, although I agree with you. Kurzweil's a 2040-2050 man, I know. I tend to side with Cory Doctorow on this - we've had several technological singularities already, literacy being the obvious one. His argument being that it's nearly impossible to explain to someone from a pre-Singularity world what the post-Singularity world might 'look' like. As a result, the notion of an apocalyptic Singularity is somewhat misplaced. I'd be interested to know if anyone has worked up a thesis based on the analogue of Hawking radiation, i.e. can you detect information escaping from the Singularity? Of course not - the analogy breaks down here: information would have to go back in time for us to do so! I always have the sneaking feeling of self-fulfilling prophecies with regard to the Singularity. I can't remember whether it was Bruce Sterling or Vernor Vinge who described it as the 'nerd rapture', but you know what they mean. The more I look into this, the more uncertain I get, not as to the actuality of it - something will surely happen - but to the perception/psychology of it. Your recent poll showed that in spades, to be honest, as you surely expected it to. I guess you read George Dvorsky, right? Damn, I need to get back to a country with bookshops! 2040+? It’s a weird one, isn’t it, although I agree with you. Kurzweil’s a 2040-2050 man, I know. I tend to side with Cory Doctorow on this – we’ve had several technological singularities already, literacy being the obvious one. His argument being that it’s nearly impossible to explain to someone from a pre-Singularity world what the post-Singularity world might ‘look’ like. As a result, the notion of an apocalyptic Singularity is somewhat misplaced.

I’d be interested to know if anyone has worked up a thesis based on the analogue of Hawking radiation, i.e. can you detect information escaping from the Singularity? Of course not – the analogy breaks down here: information would have to go back in time for us to do so!

I always have the sneaking feeling of self-fulfilling prophecies with regard to the Singularity. I can’t remember whether it was Bruce Sterling or Vernor Vinge who described it as the ‘nerd rapture’, but you know what they mean. The more I look into this, the more uncertain I get, not as to the actuality of it – something will surely happen – but to the perception/psychology of it. Your recent poll showed that in spades, to be honest, as you surely expected it to.

I guess you read George Dvorsky, right? Damn, I need to get back to a country with bookshops!

]]> By: hthth http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-639 hthth Tue, 01 May 2007 18:56:19 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-639 On Singularity: My pessimistic guess is after 2040 — but it's very hard to predict considering the unprecedented rate at which tech is advancing. The pic is sorted, yeah. On Singularity: My pessimistic guess is after 2040 — but it’s very hard to predict considering the unprecedented rate at which tech is advancing.

The pic is sorted, yeah.

]]> By: kuipercliff http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-506 kuipercliff Wed, 25 Apr 2007 10:35:29 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-506 @clauswitz Smart dust has been in the news this week, but I want to hear your take on it. @clauswitz

Smart dust has been in the news this week, but I want to hear your take on it.

]]> By: kuipercliff http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-505 kuipercliff Wed, 25 Apr 2007 10:34:01 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-505 @hthth Reckon that image is sorted? @hthth

Reckon that image is sorted?

]]> By: kuipercliff http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-495 kuipercliff Tue, 24 Apr 2007 23:54:43 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-495 @klauswitz and hthth My pleasure, as always! Check out the Long Now - I'll post something about it again: it's calmed me down somewhat. It's amazing how many things lead back the same way. I'll try and sort that map out btw. Wanna lay a bet that I do? The bets are quality: will the Singularity occur before, or after, 2040? Hrafn, I need to pick your brains re that last issue. @klauswitz and hthth

My pleasure, as always! Check out the Long Now – I’ll post something about it again: it’s calmed me down somewhat. It’s amazing how many things lead back the same way. I’ll try and sort that map out btw. Wanna lay a bet that I do? The bets are quality: will the Singularity occur before, or after, 2040? Hrafn, I need to pick your brains re that last issue.

]]> By: hthth http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-490 hthth Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:21:41 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-490 Additional: I didn't know that Longbets.org was affiliated with the Long Now Foundation. I see it now in the corner of their page. Additional: I didn’t know that Longbets.org was affiliated with the Long Now Foundation. I see it now in the corner of their page.

]]> By: hthth http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-489 hthth Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:08:34 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-489 Seems the first picture (1875-stieler-map) doesn't load for me. I recommend <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clock-Long-Now-Time-Responsibility/dp/0465007805/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-4237994-9992824?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177437932&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">The Clock of the Long Now</a> (shit, I sound like Amazon's recommendation system). Similarly, Longbets.org is fun. Great article, as always. Seems the first picture (1875-stieler-map) doesn’t load for me.

I recommend The Clock of the Long Now (shit, I sound like Amazon’s recommendation system). Similarly, Longbets.org is fun.

Great article, as always.

]]> By: clauswitz http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-477 clauswitz Tue, 24 Apr 2007 04:48:24 +0000 http://kuipercliff.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/communication-networks-past-present-and-future/#comment-477 Thankyou Kuipercliff. I am again indebted to you for pointing out the Long Now foundation. I am clearly going to have to plow through this excellent material as well. As to communications networks though, possibly the most significant ones in our future may well be self assembling ones whose maps, is we have them at all, will be reported by the nodes themselves. Some may even be small enough to be called "Smart Dust". Exciting though such prospects are, they certainly have their dark side to. I will post shortly in more detail but for now wanted to register my thanks. Thankyou Kuipercliff. I am again indebted to you for pointing out the Long Now foundation. I am clearly going to have to plow through this excellent material as well.

As to communications networks though, possibly the most significant ones in our future may well be self assembling ones whose maps, is we have them at all, will be reported by the nodes themselves. Some may even be small enough to be called “Smart Dust”.

Exciting though such prospects are, they certainly have their dark side to. I will post shortly in more detail but for now wanted to register my thanks.

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