I love Back to the Future's idea of 2015. After all it's meant to be a comedy. The Doc remarks that he wishes the post office is still less efficient than the weather service (which apparently can stop the rain and bring out the sunshine at any time.)

Another neat vision of the future is in Gattaca, where the world looks like a 1940's film noir.

Not to sound facetious, but I suppose there are chauffeurs and taxis, though these aren't realistic for anyone but the very rich. I would be happy enough with decent public transportation system, but outside of major cities--well, you know it's all terribly inconvenient. I know I should probably just relax, but I get very aggravated waiting at stoplights and dealing with traffic. It's so horribly inefficient; I'm really angry that we don't have a better way to get around in 2007. I expected more; where's my personal helicopter? I guess some kind of teleporter system is downright science fiction; at least, I haven't heard anyone seriously talking about it. And don't even get me started on the pathetic airline systems. In my opinion, the government should have LONG AGO stopped subsidizing those nincompoops and let them go out of business. This would allow some sensible, profit-minded people to step in and actually improve the system. Instead, the government keeps stepping in with our tax dollars to put a band-aid on that sorry mess. I swear, has the airline industry changed since the early 1970s at all? Oh, yeah, they got more expensive. Imagine if buses or passenger trains tried to operate like that!

If I were in charge of the airline industry, I'd dump all the security crap, get rid of the first class nonsense, and operate it as smoothly as I could for everyone involved. Who needs stewardesses? Hell, put a coke machine in there and be done with it. Ah, a little common sense would go a long way.

Anyway, I think it'd be great to hop in your car, punch in the address (or select it from a menu), and kick back. To my mind it'd probably be much safer than dealing with all the idiots on the road. Last night we had a snowstorm, and idiots were tailgating me and trying to hit 70 on unplowed roads (in small cars, no less). I just hope that when those idiots wreck, they only kill themselves and not any innocents on the road with them.

It's also funny how robots in these movies and what-not are always portrayed as androids (Data, etc.) They generally move clunkier and are assumed to lack emotions or self-awareness, though I can think of some notable exceptions (Blade Runner, Cherry 2000). I always had fun thinking how advanced Data was, yet he couldn't use contractions.

My guess is that robots will be far more graceful and useful than a human body, maybe with more appendages or what-not. While most robots are made for a specific job, I can imagine a more versatile unit. I can certainly see something based on an ant's form, which is quite strong and stable given its size. Be nice to have a bot that could take me places without my having to pay any attention.

I think you may be right, Stu. My guess is the problem is more with the producers and directors than the actual writers. I can her it now--"That won't make for compelling TV. You may now games, but I know TV. We're going to do it MY way." lol.

I'm always wincing at Dr Who and Star Trek when they talk about super computer brains or what not. They always seem to think a super computer really needs to look impressive, and even if it can fully understand and transmit human speech, of course it speaks with a terrible robotic accent. I always thought the Borg's regeneration chambers were dumb, too, with those silly plasma things that you can buy at Gadzooks for $30 now.

My guess is that in the future, computers and advanced technology in general will be even less pronounced than it is today. I also doubt that every advanced tech will be some new and improved form of something we have already, but will be something totally new and unimagined yet. I think that's why it's so hard to get the future right in TV or movies, unless it's literally within the next few years. Trying to project 50 or more years into the future is almost always ruinous.

Remember Back to the Future II? That's set in 2015, and they have hoverboards, holograms, flying cars...Seems absolutely ridiculous now to think we'll be that advanced in less than a decade.

Bill, let's face it - the whole AI bit of War Games was not possible at the time - with natural speech / words being understood by the computer. A very cool movie nonetheless.

Editor / Pixelator - Armchair Arcade, Inc.
www.markvergeer.nl