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The Kinect Was Predicted By Douglas Adams...
Shamelessly nicked from Dylan Fox over at www.dylanfox.net
The Kinect reminds me of this bit from Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:
“A loud clatter of gunk music flooded through the Heart of Gold cabin as Zaphod searched the sub-etha radio wavebands for news of himself. The machine was rather difficult to operate. For years radios had been operated by means of pressing buttons and turning dials; then as the technology became more sophisticated the controls were made touch-sensitive - you merely had to brush the panels with your fingers; now all you had to do was wave your hand in the general direction of the components and hope. It saved a lot of muscular expenditure of course, but meant that you had to sit infuriatingly still if you wanted to keep listening to the same programme.”
( http://hitch14.tripod.com/chapter_12.htm )
I don’t mind science imitating fiction--hey, I’m all for it!--but not when the final product turns out to a punchline...
The Kinect reminds me of this bit from Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:
“A loud clatter of gunk music flooded through the Heart of Gold cabin as Zaphod searched the sub-etha radio wavebands for news of himself. The machine was rather difficult to operate. For years radios had been operated by means of pressing buttons and turning dials; then as the technology became more sophisticated the controls were made touch-sensitive - you merely had to brush the panels with your fingers; now all you had to do was wave your hand in the general direction of the components and hope. It saved a lot of muscular expenditure of course, but meant that you had to sit infuriatingly still if you wanted to keep listening to the same programme.”
( http://hitch14.tripod.com/chapter_12.htm )
I don’t mind science imitating fiction--hey, I’m all for it!--but not when the final product turns out to a punchline...
Hitch Hikers is my all time favorite book - reading this is amazing. Douglas Adams creating something magical and something I keep reading!