MarkMiller

Back around 1990 before the advent of the DVD, I had a friend who's family ran the largest Video rental store in Lodi California. I remember one day we were talking about the rental industry and what was ahead for their future. I made the statement that eventually all rentals would probably come from the Internet. Just go on find the movie you want to see and watch it without leaving your home. Of course this enraged her to no end. She stated that that would never happen because the industry would not allow it. I looked at her and asked what made her think the Video rental industry had that kind of power or would even want to stop it. She had no answer. That was 5 years before digital video. Today, as you can, see the Internet has become a rental location as I knew it eventually would and even Blockbuster, the worlds largest video rental retailer has jumped aboard.

Now you can download for free Network TV episodes in their entirety. This along with DVD sales is the main reason for the writers strike......so here I go with another prediction. Because of all these residuals to be paid to the many involved in making this entertainment and all the forms of sales that involve separate negotiations for payment to these people, as well as the inconvenience of having two separate forms of broadcast or viewing options, I foresee a day when the Internet or some variation of it will combine with broadcast TV, cable TV and theatrical releases. This will allow for nearly a single residual (albeit a much higher one) to go to those that creat the shows you watch.

One day you will not have two separate monitors in your home but just one. Broadcast will eventually have to combine with cable or digital cable and the Internet. I see a time when there are no longer scheduled times for shows but a point and click availability for a limited time. Eventually you will come home turn on the TV and check your e-mail then click over to favorite show and begin watching at your leisure. This is already started and many newer computers are combining TV Tuners in their towers, and newer LCD and Plasma screens combine inputs. But one day all will come from a single source. Who will the source be is up to the ones who push the technology the fastest.

One day message boards will be replaced video boards where instead of typing out everything you will have the option of voice activated type of video messages.....who knows but I bet there are people developing all this as we speak.

Heretic

M-cast I call it, for multi-cast as oppose to broad cast. When i wrote a short story about a genetics hacker, called a Ghacker I hinted at the concept in the story.

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"In space no one can hear you scream. in D.C. it won't matter..." -Clinton Resurrection: The Alien Queen lives!

MarkMiller

The problem that faces today's Internet is that anyone can write code and stick it out there on the net. Anyone can create a website, own a domain name and hack away. Before this new type of Internet can happen a new type of hacker proof programing will have to be developed and an interface for users to interact without the need of special software or programs. Something that allows us to do nearly everything we do now without the danger to sites of being hacked into. That's why I just don't see the current Internet as being able to handle such. As it stands right now if too many people go to a single site at the same time that site can go down just from the traffic. But eventually it will happen.

Did you get that story published?

Heretic

The problem with a future internet where hacking "can't" happen is that requires control by a large government, corporate or other type of organized body. And it'd be too easy for such a regulator system to be abused to no end.

No, too many science fiction magazines won't give breaks to unknown unpublished authors. Ironic considering that's how most authors use to get their lucky break and become known. Asimov's Sicence Fiction Magazine won't accept anything unless you have an agent.

"You mean I gotta shell out 15% of $450 just to get into your magazine? Do you fuckers not know why Asimov started this magaine in the first fuckin' place?"

Plus, with the shift to political, tell-all and Oprah Bookclub books artificially narrowing the market science fiction is getting squeezed out regardless of higher-than-ever demand for it. FUCKERS!!

__________________
"In space no one can hear you scream. in D.C. it won't matter..." -Clinton Resurrection: The Alien Queen lives!

MarkMiller

I don't see it as a control issue but a software issue. Programs today are vulnerable to attack because the codes are so common place and many programs contain "Back doors" hidden by the authors or the software is so basic anybody could copy and paste code off the net. I believe that in the near future the answer may be found in a more "private code" or possibly removing a great deal of the accessibility of the net as we use it today. Plus I see the Internet as eventually becoming multichannel itself. Possibly being accessible to one channel and simply interactive on another. Accessible Internet may be left for mail, message boards, home pages and the like, while entertainment and rental downloads may become simply a show case channel.

Heretic

Except the software issue isn't going to change. It'll always be an arms race between the hacker and the security program writer. That's why there is no ultimate softwware solution and never will be, short of artificial intelligence [it'll be awhile for that].

The problem with personalized code is the same as with any industry. Without a common standard inter-code connectsion become infinitely complicated, and the production of programs that fit all personized codes comes to a virtual hault due to attempts at establishing compatibility. Imagine if every person had their own language and we all tried talking to each other. Think anything would get done?

__________________
"In space no one can hear you scream. in D.C. it won't matter..." -Clinton Resurrection: The Alien Queen lives!