Literary Machines: Judging Nelson’s Predictions

This reading used design fiction, I get it.

However as it was written in the past, it was comical to see which of Nelsons 2020 predictions have come true.

‘Electronic networking will come in many flavours’. Blogs.

Stored graphics can be ‘called on by demand’. Google.

‘Offices will be paperless’. Perhaps not wholly, but my phone bill, school work and pay cheque are now managed online.

The point about education, is perhaps the only one that we are perhaps furthest away from. Of course, Networked Media is probably the dream subject for Theodore Holm Nelson however this is only one of four of my subjects in one of the many RMIT courses. I don’t know that the engineering students have to write blogs – but then again, I can’t be sure.

We can look more broadly at RMIT as only one University in Melbourne. Are Melbourne, Monash, Deakin and La Trobe undertaking these new innovative ways of learning?

Yes I can see progress in education, in fact I am utilising it as we speak, but of all of Nelsons predictions I believe this is the one in which we have not quite arrived at yet. Let’s see in 2020.

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